The San Jose Sharks’ 6-5 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Thursday began with a bang — in more ways than one.

Adam Gaudette and Macklin Celebrini both scored early first-period goals at Madison Square Garden, with Celebrini’s goal at the 6:17 mark giving the Sharks a two-goal lead. Just before Celebrini’s goal, Sharks winger Ryan Reaves and Rangers forward Matt Rempe renewed acquaintances in a marquee fight between two of the NHL’s true heavyweights.

Reaves, listed at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, landed at least two big right hands while Rempe, at 6-foot-9 and 261 pounds, used his longer reach to connect with a few left hands. Rempe ended the right with a few short rights from close range after he and Reaves came together.

Reaves came out of the fight unscathed, but Rempe had to retreat to the Rangers’ dressing room, and he did not come out for the start of the second period. Reaves’ big but clean hit on Rangers forward Juuso Parssinen preceded the fight.

“(Rempe) asked me to go off the draw, and I said I was gonna go run somebody first, and it happened immediately,” said Reaves, who added that Rempe came up to him during warmups while he was talking to Rangers star Artemi Panarin. “He said, ‘You want one?’ I said, ‘Yeah, maybe.’”

Reaves, though, did more than just fight one of the biggest guys in the NHL. He also had four hits, blocked a shot in the third period, and showed why he’s been a respected teammate throughout his 15-plus years in the league.

WE GOT A CENTER ICE TILT BETWEEN REMPE AND REAVES 🍿 pic.twitter.com/KMZQkZjF3j

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 23, 2025

 

After Macklin Celebrini completed his second career NHL hat trick late in the second period, Reaves, thinking there might not be many hats on the ice at MSG, dropped his helmet down so there would at least be something.

Turns out a few hats made their way down to ice level, but the gesture, along with other things Reaves brought to the table, didn’t go unnoticed. He also, for good measure, picked the Sharks’ postgame win song from the Broadway musical “The Book of Mormon,” which the team saw after it arrived in New York.

“He’s been awesome. I can’t say enough good things about this man,” Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “He brings energy to our room, he’s a veteran guy, knows how we want to play with structure. I mean, he’s yelling at guys on defensive zone coverage where to go.

“Yeah, he fights and he stands up for teammates. He protects teammates. Gets a huge block. He’s been awesome.”

Reaves and Rempe are no strangers to one another.  The two also fought on March 2, 2024, when Reaves was with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The fight was Reaves’ second this season and Rempe’s first. Reaves also fought Anaheim’s Ross Johnston on Oct. 11.

Originally Published: October 23, 2025 at 4:52 PM PDT