Rangers fan favorite Matt Rempe returns to the lineup against Toronto

TORONTO – After two straight games sitting out as a healthy scratch, Matt Rempe was back in the Rangers’ lineup Saturday night when the Blueshirts visited the Maple Leafs, and old friend Ryan Reaves, at Scotiabank Arena.

Rempe was one of two lineup changes Rangers coach Peter Laviolette made in the middle contest of the three-game road trip, the other being the insertion of veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, who made his season debut.

For Rempe, the high-energy fan favorite, it was just his second game of the season. But to hear him tell it, his watching three of the first four games of the season from the press box was nothing to be concerned about.

“Yeah, yeah, it's fine,’’ he said at the Rangers’ morning skate. “Yeah, just two games (out) there. Not a big deal. Just learn and work and practice.’’

“He's part of the mix… there'll be lineup changes the entire year,’’ Laviolette said when asked about the 22-year-old Rempe. “But it's good to get him back in there. He's been working hard, and I'm sure he's excited to get back in and play.’’

Rempe, who is still a rookie, was asked whether he felt pressure to do something Saturday to stand out and ensure he would stay in the lineup. He said no.

“I think I play my game,’’ he said. “I'll be physical, move my feet, go to the net, stuff like that. I'll stay inside my game. I always play hard. Some things happen normally, and just try to be good defensively, be good on the walls and have a good game.’’

Of course, the last time the two teams played, back in March, it was at the height of Rempe-mania. It happened just a couple of weeks after the 6-9 bundle of energy broke into the league at the Rangers’ outdoor game at MetLife Stadium and fought Islanders enforcer Matt Martin on his first NHL shift.

The game against Toronto had been hyped up in advance as a potential showdown between the veteran Reaves, perhaps the league’s most famous enforcer, and the new hotshot Rempe. The two did fight, late in the third period of the game.

Remembering that game Saturday, Rempe called it “a lot of fun.’’

“It was a cool experience,’’ he said. “It was definitely a memorable day last year. And, yeah, so I’m excited for tonight.’’

Laviolette insisted Rempe, who worked with retired enforcer Georges Laraque over the summer and added 14 pounds (he’s now 255) while also working on his skating, is more than just a fighter.

“For us, Matt brings more to the table,’’ Laviolette said. “I mean, he's a really good hitter… He goes to the net hard. He's a big body. Yeah, he can fight if he wants to, or has to, but there's more to his game… He's a good young prospect.’’

Surprise start for Ruhwedel

The insertion of Ruhwedel, 34, was somewhat of a surprise and meant another good young prospect had to come out of the lineup, except it wasn’t the one many would have expected. Rookie Victor Mancini, who scored his first NHL goal in Thursday’s 5-2 win in Detroit, stayed in and Zac Jones was scratched to make room for Ruhwedel.

“He's been great for us,’’ Laviolette said of Ruhwedel. “He’s just been out for a little bit. I want to make sure we're getting everybody involved. But it's good to get him back in there. He's a veteran player. He's a good defender, good, good skater. plays a physical, hard game.’’

Because Ruhwedel is a righthanded shooter and Jones a lefthander, the Rangers’ six-man defense corps – still missing Ryan Lindgren, who remains on injured reserve – had five righthanders in the lineup. Mancini, a righty, played on the left with Ruhwedel on the third pair, giving Laviolette a look at the 22-year-old rookie on his off side. He had played the left side in practice (with Adam Fox) in training camp, but didn’t play a preseason game on the left.

If Laviolette was happy with how Mancini looked on the left against the Maple Leafs, it could open the possibility that he might actually stick around on the roster after Lindgren comes back from his upper body injury. If Mancini were to stay on as a sixth or seventh defenseman, he would need to be able to play on the left side when necessary.

Blue notes

Along with Jones, F Jonny Brodzinski was the other healthy scratch . . . Igor Shesterkin (2-0-1, 2.28 GAA, .921 sv pct.) was the expected starter in net. 

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.