NHL fans delight in EPIC brawl between massive 6-foot-7 Rangers rookie Matt Rempe and Flyers veteran Nicolas Deslauriers… but who won the ‘good, old-fashioned hockey fight’?

NHL fans pining for the days of the Broad Street Bullies got a dose of nostalgia on Saturday in Philadelphia thanks to massive New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe and scrappy Flyers veteran Nicolas Deslauriers.

The visiting Rangers tied a franchise record with their 10th straight win, but New York’s 2-1 victory aside, the game will be remembered for what ESPN announcer Sean McDonough likened to a ‘heavyweight battle.’

Rempe, the 6-foot-7 Calgary native who famously got into a fight on his first shift while making his debut last week, dropped the gloves in the first period again on Saturday.

‘You don’t see many of these anymore,’ ESPN commentator and former NHL star Ray Ferraro told play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough.

‘I was just thinking that,’ McDonough agreed. ‘Reminiscent of the old days in this rivalry.’

Flyers’ Nicolas Deslauriers (44) and Rangers’ Matt Rempe (73) fight during the first period

Rempe (in white) is seen with some damage to his face during the brawl with Deslauriers

Deslauriers pulls Remp’s jersey over his head before scoring a takedown in the epic brawl 

A slightly disfigured Flyers’ Nicolas Deslauriers reacts after the first-period fight on Saturday 

Both players landed heavy punches, with the 6-foot-1 Deslauriers getting cut on the forehead by one of Rempe’s hard right hands. The fight ended with Rempe’s shirt being pulled over his head by Deslauriers, who then tackled the rookie the ice.

‘That’s a good, old-fashioned hockey fight,’ Philadelphia coach John Tortorella said.

Laviolette added:,’That was a good one, for sure.’

Rempe did get the last laugh, scoring his first NHL goal and improving his lifetime record to a perfect 4-0.

Fans absolutely delighted in the on-ice violence. 

‘Great tilt by both but Rempe to the decision,’ one wrote on X. ‘Got my ticket to Rocky whoops Rempe 2.’

‘What. A. Tilt,’ wrote another.

Many reveled in the nostalgia: ‘We all miss this. Aka old school fans.’ 

But while fans all seemed to agree the fight was entertaining, they were split on who won the brawl. 

‘6’7 and bro got clapped good lord,’ one online judge ruled. 

Others disagreed: ‘Rangers Recking Ball Rempe lit him up.’

Fans were divided over the winner, but all seemed to agree that the fight was a rare treat 

Things actually got started between the two during the pregame warmups, when both were seen jawing at each other.

Evidently, the animosity carried over to the game.

‘He asked me in warmups,’ Rempe said. ‘He’s a real tough customer and said, ‘Let’s go.” It was a great fight. We were throwing bombs. It got the juices flowing, and it was unreal.’

It has been quite a week for Rempe, who fought Islanders tough guy Matt Martin during his first shift in his NHL debut on Sunday in a Stadium Series game, and was ejected for a hit to the head of New Jersey’s Nathan Bastian in New York’s 5-1 victory over the Devils on Thursday.

Rempe entered with 22 penalty minutes in just 9:47 of ice time in three career games. The 33-year-old veteran Deslauriers is no stranger to the penalty box, having served 729 minutes in 635 games entering Saturday.

The scrap seemed to ignite both teams for the afternoon start and started quite a day for Rempe.

‘He placed a heck of a game,’ Laviolette said. ‘Had a great fight. Had big hits. Put the puck behind the defense. He’s been great since he’s been here. You can tell the players in the locker room love having him here. He loves to hit and be physical.’

Rangers and Flyers fans in Philly were quick to reach for their cell phones to record the fight

Alexis Lafrenière gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with 8:04 left in the second when his wrist shot got through Ersson during 4-on-4 play. It was his 17th of the season and third in two games.

The goal capped a wild sequence that began when Philadelphia´s Garnet Hathaway was whistled for a double-minor high-sticking penalty. Philadelphia, which entered leading the NHL with 13 short-handed goals and the league´s second-best penalty-kill unit, nearly got on the board, but Scott Laughton´s wrist shot that beat Shesterkin went off the crossbar.

Lafrenière almost scored on the power play two minutes after Laughton´s miss, but Ersson made the save of the game, denying the backhand try with a stellar left pad save. Philadelphia then nearly had another great short-handed chance, but Artemi Panarin held Cam Atkinson, resulting in a Rangers penalty and the 4-on-4 situation.

Philadelphia tied it 2:36 into the third when Foerster finished in front after a nifty pass from behind the net from Laughton.

Philadelphia leading scorer Travis Konecny did not play due to an upper-body injury. He has 27 goals and 54 points.