Rangers-Devils Starts With 5 Fights On Opening Face-Off, 8 Players Ejected

Whoa, baby! We got some old-school NHL "hockey" on Wednesday night when the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils squared-off, literally, at Madison Square Garden. 

Quick refresher for those who aren't aware. The last time the Rangers and Devils met, New York rookie Matt Rempe elbowed Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head. Referees assessed Rempe a five-minute major penalty for the play, along with a game-misconduct, and the NHL suspended him for four games. 

Devils tough guy Kurtis MacDermid tried to fight Rempe after the hit, but referees quickly ushered Rempe to the locker room, and he waved to the New Jersey bench on his way off the ice. 

This was the second time this season that Rempe was ejected after hitting a Devils player. On February 22, Rempe blasted Devils forward Nate Bastian in the face. He was given a five-minute major and a game-misconduct for that hit, too. 

So, of course, when the teams met again on Wednesday night, all eyes were on MacDermid and Rempe, who were given the starting nods from their coaches. Neither player usually starts, so everyone in the arena knew what was coming. 

At least, they thought they did. 

Not only did Rempe and MacDermid drop their gloves as soon as the opening face-off hit the ice, ALL the skaters on the ice engaged in fisticuffs. Yes, five simultaneous fights just two seconds into the game. 

Even the two coaches, Peter Laviolette of the Rangers and Travis Green of the Devils, engaged in a war of words following all the bouts. 

When a fight breaks out between two players in the NHL, all other players are forbidden from engaging in further fighting. Referees determined that the fight between Curtis Lazar and Jimmy Vesey technically started first (they had their