Matt Rempe had a playoff debut to remember on Sunday afternoon, lighting the lamp for the first goal of the series to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead early in the second period in game one.
The Garden crowd went nuts for Rempe’s goal, a tap-in from just outside the crease to send the Blueshirts on their way.
The cult hero Rempe made an instant impact on the game, and when asked if he can remember a player with this kind of impact on the fanbase, head coach Peter Laviolette drew a blank.
“Not a lot,” Laviolette said. “I can't think of a player that's come in and had that impact on a team, on a fanbase, on a city.
“If you watch him and look at him, he just smiles. He’s just happy. Loves being here, loves to play the game. He’s been great. But I can’t think of anybody else off the top of my head.”
Laviolette has coach in nearly 1,500 NHL games, so the praise is high for Rempe, whose energy has garnered the appreciation of his teammates as well.
“Any game he's in the lineup, he's had an effect on the game,” Jimmy Vesey said. “I’ve had fun playing with him. He shows up every night for the team. It’s great to see him get the goal…the look on his face was pretty cool.”