COLUMBUS, Ohio — Early in the third period of the Rangers’ eventual 3-2 overtime win over the Wild on Thursday night, Minnesota forward Devin Shore incidentally skated into Matt Rempe and ricocheted off the big-bodied 22-year-old.
Referee Brandon Blandina charged Rempe with interference, the Wild went on the power play, and they scored to tie the game up at one-all.
“The ref came up and apologized in the third to me,” Rempe said after an optional Rangers practice Friday afternoon at OhioHealth Chiller Ice Rink. “He came up and said it just looked bad from his angle and stuff. He said he just made a mistake. You make mistakes. That’s what happens. It is what it is.
“I’m a polarizing figure, per se, with that stuff, and I guess that stuff happens. Just try to keep working on my game because I think it’s coming along nicely.”
It was far from the first time this has happened to Rempe, who of course has earned his reputation around the NHL by way of two multi-game suspensions packed into his first 48 regular-season appearances in the league.
This has been something Rempe has had to navigate since his days in the Western Hockey League.
The Calgary native, always with a mature perspective, wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s been the exact same bias he dealt with in juniors, noting that it was just two instances in the past two games.
On Tuesday in Winnipeg, Rempe was assessed a questionable goaltender interference penalty by the same ref, Blandina, early in the second period of a 2-1 Rangers loss.
Former Blueshirt Morgan Barron blatantly shoved Rempe into Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but No. 73 was penalized all the same.
The Jets went on to score on that power play, too, which ultimately was the game-winner.
“There’s always conversations that go on,” head coach Peter Laviolette said when asked if the Rangers can address the matter with the NHL. “Game happens fast out there. But with regard to Matt, we’re just trying to get him the benefit of the doubt once in a while.”
Rempe has been pleased with his game, despite the couple of unfair hiccups over the past couple of contests.
In third-period situations in particular, in which he steadily has seen more ice time, Rempe has tried to stay mindful of his hits.
Between that and having the puck on his stick a whole lot more lately, the 6-foot-8 ½ forward is feeling confident in his trajectory toward his goal of becoming a true power forward in the NHL.
The only time Rempe finished with a minus rating over the past 10 games was in the Rangers’ 7-3 loss to Columbus last weekend.
With the two teams set to square off again in a major showdown for playoff position Saturday night, Rempe plans to stick to what’s been working for him thus far.
“I’m not changing my game, but I feel like I’m going to go be fast, be physical, go make a play,” he said. “My game has to lead with speed and physicality. … If I start going around and trying to be cautious, that’s not me. That’s not my game. The farthest thing I want to be is a big teddy bear. That’s the last thing I want to be.”
