Quick Reacts: Rangers Versus Washington

After two straight games hosting opponents at Madison Square Garden, the New York Rangers fell 5-3 on the road at Washington against the Capitals. Here's four quick notes following the road loss.

1. Matt Rempe is Back and Fighting

After being assigned down to the Hartford Wolf and earning playing minutes in the NHL, this was enforcer Matt Rempe's first game back in the NHL since being recalled.

In the first period at around the 18:00 Rempe and fellow heavyweight Dylan McIlrath dropped the gloves off for a scrap. The two have fought on the ice before, with this being a rematch from a 2022 showdown between the pair in the American League.

Both got good punches in with the fight being very close to call, but eventually Rempe was taken down on the ice by the former Rangers' top pick and brought to the locker room with blood coming from under his eye.

This all happened mere minutes before the first goal of the contest, which was from Alexander Ovenchkin assisted by Washington's Dylan Strome.

Though, Rempe later returned to the ice and also paired with Tom Wilson at the end of the first period in team scrap.

The first period concluded with a beautiful pass from Rempe to Sam Carrick who missed the goal wide.

Rempe concluded the night with a total time on ice of 5:01.

2. First Period Frenzy

The first period of the matchup in the nation's capital was plenty busy, with the score being 3-1 by the first intermission.

Winger Will Cuylle had the Blueshirts' lone goal in the first period. He scored less than one minute after the Capitals to tie the game 1-1, with Kaapo Kakko logging the assist.

Though the score didn't hold long, with Alexander Ovechkin and Connor McMichael both scoring goals following Cuylle's.

On Washington's side, six different players tallied at least one point by the end of the first period. Leading the way were Ovechkin, Strome and Aliaksei Protas with two points each.

3. Shesterkin on Fire

Despite giving up four goals, excluding the one empty net goal, Shesterkin's play was quite impressive on Oct. 29.

He stopped 41 of the 45 shots he faced, boasting a .911 save percentage.

4. Lack of Offense

The Rangers were simply just outshot. The Capitals out-chanced the Rangers at 5v5 by the count of 34-14.

In fact, Washington has gone 20 consecutive power plays without scoring, yet has won five of six games without it. The Blueshirts were simply outplayed, with Washington taking home the 5-3 win.

Though, Ranger's Filip Chytil served as a highlight for the night, posting four shots on goal and earning one point from his goal in the second period;