The Washington Capitals don't necessarily want to get caught up in antics with Matt Rempe, but then again, hockey's filled with emotion, and as expected, there was some tension and tempers flaring against him and the New York Rangers late in the series opener.
Washington suffered a 4-1 defeat back on Sunday in Game 1, and at the end of the game, Dylan McIlrath tried to get into it with Rempe, who wanted no part of him at that point in time.
"I know they're at the end there, I'm trying to mix it up," McIlrath told reporters in New York on Tuesday. "It's a series, so I'm sure he'd be doing the same thing if their team was down. So that's how I approached it."
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Rempe also had the game-opening goal for New York.
When it comes to handling Rempe throughout the series, the 6-foot-5 Mcilrath, who previously fought the 6-foot-7 rookie at the AHL level, said that discipline remains a priority for D.C.
"The biggest thing is play whistle to whistle, especially a guy like me in my situation," McIlrath said. "I'm not going to take an undisciplined penalty after the whistle."
That being said, McIlrath said the focus will be shutting him down defensively and getting physical, but not going overboard.
"He's obviously trying to make his presence felt. He's on that fourth line trying to bring energy, he's finishing checks and getting to the net," McIlrath said. "A guy like me, I feel like I can match up against bigger bodies like that. Just try to win my battles against him and box him out in the net front."
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Beck Malenstyn agreed, adding that D.C. can't let that storyline take over the series.
"That's his brand of hockey. He's obviously a big player that tries to impact the game that way," Malesntyn told the media. "I think big picture, we just have to focus a little bit more on ourselves."
Tom Wilson, who Rempe said he has a lot of respect for and used to watch highlights of, also wants to avoid getting caught up in a fighting game or spending unnecessary time in the sin bin.
"Everyone's out there flying around with all that excitement, so I'm assuming he's going to be that way," Wilson told The Hockey News . "He's a young guy that's had an impact on the league and he's gonna be high-energy and trying to get their team going.
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"At this time of year, you're focused on winning games. I think fighting can take a little bit of a backseat in the playoffs, just because it's so important," Wilson said. "Every play, every shift, every puck is so important. I don't think guys want to be sitting in the box for that long period of time; you want to have an impact on the game."
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