Matt Rempe Shines in Debut as New York Rangers Face New York Islanders in NHL Stadium Series

Today marks a special day as the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders face off in an outdoor match at the MetLife Stadium for the Stadium Series. The highlight of the game is the debut of Matt Rempe, who plays his first NHL game, making history as the first player to debut outdoors.

Right from the start, Rempe made a statement by dropping the gloves with Islanders’ Matt Martin in his very first shift, showcasing his grit and determination.

Rempe, a towering 6 feet 8 inches and 240 pounds at only 21 years old, was a sixth-round pick of the Rangers in 2020. This season in the AHL, he tallied 12 points, including eight goals, in 43 games while amassing 96 penalty minutes.

The fifth-round pick has had a solid performance in the AHL with 8 goals, 6 assists, and 96 penalty minutes. He was called up to the Rangers after Blake Wheeler’s injury against the Canadiens.

Interestingly, Rempe is the very first player in NHL history to start his career in an outdoor game. He even took part in the rookie lap before a crowd of 70,000 at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After the first period, Patrick Roy‘s squad had a 3-1 lead over the Rangers. Early on, the Rangers got on the scoreboard with Erik Gustafsson’s goal, but Islanders’ stars Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal quickly took the lead.

The game promises to be an exciting matchup between these two New York teams with Rempe making a memorable debut in the NHL.