New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe set the tone early for the team in their 4-1 Game 1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.
Rempe scored the team’s first goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The score came in the second period. And before anyone knew it, the Rangers were up 3-0 by the time the game was in its second intermission.
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The forward, who has become a fan favorite during the year, heard his name chanted across Madison Square Garden. It only amplified his performance even more and appeared to give him the confidence to do it again through the rest of the postseason – as long as the Rangers are in it.
"I know my game. I know I can skate well and be physical. I think I can be a real pain to play against down low, protecting pucks and going to the net," Rempe said, per ESPN. "I think I'm built for the playoffs. I think that that's where you want to play, and I was happy how tonight went."
Rempe didn’t only turn the heads of fans at the Garden, but he made an even bigger believer of his veteran head coach, Peter Laviolette.
"That was a big goal to put energy in the building, maybe because it was him, too, put a little more extra juice in the building," Laviolette said. "And then be able to get another one right after that. That was a turning point in the game."
Rempe’s score came off the stick of Jimmy Vesey, who also scored in the second period.
"(Rempe) scoring sent the fans crazy, and we scored two more goals in the next few minutes," Vesey said. "He definitely gets the crowd into the game and, as the team with home-ice advantage, you're going to try to feed off that energy in the crowd."
Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers.
Washington’s Martin Fehervary put the Capitals on the board in the second period.
Game 2 is set for Tuesday night in New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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