Rangers' Matt Rempe Suspended 8 Games By NHL for Boarding, Elbowing Stars' Heiskanen

New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended for eight games after both boarding and elbowing the Dallas Star' Miro Heiskanen during the third period of Friday's 3-1 Rangers win.

Rempe had a hearing with the NHL's department of player safety over Zoom on Sunday.

The NHL Department of Player Safety said Rempe's hit "violated multiple NHL rules," though he can appeal the suspension to both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and a neutral arbitrator. If upheld, he'll forfeit around $80,000 worth of game checks.

"Rempe explodes upwards into a hard check into a defenseless Heiskanen while at the same time extending his elbow and forearm up and into the back of Heiskanen's neck, driving Heiskanen dangerously into the boards and glass," the department noted.

Rempe was considered a repeat offender, having been suspended four games last season after elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler of the New Jersey Devils last season, and the NHL Department of Player Safety added in its ruling that "players who repeatedly violate league playing rules shall be more severely punished for each new violation."

It was his fourth ejection in 22 career games in the NHL.

He was hit with a major penalty and game misconduct for elbowing during Friday's game, leaving the Rangers with a five-minute power play to kill.

"I thought he led off a little bit at the end. He's just such a big guy," Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette told reporters on Friday. "We killed the five, and we're moving on."

The Stars weren't so quick to brush off the hit, as a scuffle broke out on the ice, with Roope Hintz immediately standing up for his teammate.

"First, I wasn't sure did he get hurt or not, and then I saw that he was right there laying on the ice bleeding," Hintz told reporters. "Dirty, [from] behind, and he's obviously a big guy, so, yeah, just tried to go out there and do something."