Rangers’ Rempe sent off for elbowing Stars’ Heiskanen

Most NHL players go their entire career without being ejected four times. Matt Rempe hit that mark in just 22 games.

The young New York Rangers forward added his fourth career ejection Friday night when he received a foul for elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen in the third period.

Rempe crushed Heiskanen from behind with the elbow that hit the Stars defender in the head area. The 22-year-old Rempe was assessed a five-minute major and was kicked out of the competition.

It ended an eventful night for Rempe, who finished the game with five hits and 17 penalty minutes in just 5:27 of ice time.

Rempe played in his first game with the big club since Nov. 25 as the struggling Rangers hoped he could inject some life into their lineup. A throw-out was probably not what they had in mind.

Fortunately, Rangers were able to kill off the five-minute major and hold on for a 3-1 win.

Rempe could face some additional discipline for the hit, and it wouldn’t be his first run-in with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. Last season, he was suspended four games after being ejected for a hit to the head of the New Jersey Devils’ Jonas Siegenthaler.

Last season as a rookie, Rempe recorded a goal, an assist and 71 penalty minutes in 17 games.

This season, he has zero points and 24 penalty minutes through five games.