Rangers-Devils game opens up with line fight, 8 players ejected

NEW YORK — On Wednesday night, the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils started off with all 10 skaters being involved in a brawl off the opening faceoff just two seconds into the game.

In the middle of that chaos, was the main event between Rangers forward Matt Rempe and New Jersey's Kurtis MacDermid.

The two skaters have history between each other stemming back to the last time the Devils visited Madison Square Garden on March 11. On that night, Rempe refused MacDermid's offer to fight early in the contest. Later in the game, Rempe hit Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler with a high elbow, knocking him out of the game. Rempe was suspended for four game as a result.

Rempe and MacDermid's skirmish ended up lasting the longest of the five fights on the ice.

The brawl resulted in eight players — four from each team — receiving game misconducts and were ejected. The other New York players that were ejected along with Rempe were defensemen Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller and forward Barclay Goodrow were ejected. New Jersey defensemen Kevin Bahl and John Marino and forwards Chris Tierney and MacDermid also exited the game early.

"It was great to see the team responding that way and having each other's backs out there,'' said MacDermid, who hadn't played the prior four games for New Jersey. "l have a lot of respect for him [Rempe]. He's a young kid trying to do his thing. I understand that."

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin and Devils netminder Kaapo Kahkonen did not participate in the brawl.

The Rangers went on to beat the Devils 4-3 with a late power-play goal by Chris Kreider.