A New Jersey Devils fan argues with a New York Rangers fan during the two teams' matchup in Newark. Photo courtesy of Eric Morey
The Rangers pounded the Devils en route to a 5-1 win the other night, but one Devils fan was forced to leave the party early.
With about two minutes remaining in the first period on Thursday night, a Devils fan got into an altercation with a Rangers fan. This is understandable, as the Rangers proved their might in numbers on Sunday afternoon at the NHL Stadium Series, which was supposed to be an Islanders home game but was about 80% Rangers fans (the author is speaking from experience since he was there).
Rangers Take Over Newark
But Rangers faithful also showed up in droves on Thursday night at The Rock in Newark. The game was 2-0 by the end of the first period. The Devils had a five-minute power play after Matt Rempe was ejected, and failed to score. The Rangers then turned around and scored immediately off the face-off, and then tacked on four more goals to win 5-1.
The Devils did not even get their goal until garbage time at the very end of the game. It appeared that the Devils were trying too hard and simply could not match the elite game of the Rangers. The Devils fan in the stands felt that pressure, and decided to take it out on a nearby Rangers fan.
The Devils fan, wearing a Jack Hughes jersey, appears to call out a Rangers fan in a completely different section who was not even wearing any noticeable Rangers gear. Another Rangers fan comes over and appears to touch the Devils fan, trying to de-escalate the situation. “Sit down,” another fan yells in the background to the Devils fan.
The Situation Escalates
However, the situation was not de-escalated as the Devils fan was getting evermore angry. Chants of “Kick his ass!” and “Beat his ass!” could be heard, and not before long, the Devils fan lunges over the railing at the Rangers fan and headbutts him. This causes a small brawl with punches being thrown.
But it would be the Devils fan who would lose the fight in his own building. Security walked over and ejected him, escorting him out the building like the officials did Matt Rempe. Despite being in his own team’s home, the fan was booed out of the stands by Rangers fans. The Devils fan proceeded to flip off the surrounding crowd on his way out.
Wasted Money?
The fight occurred in the lower bowl section of the arena right near the glass. So it’s safe to assume this fan paid a lot of money for his tickets. His money was only good for less than a third of the game, as he would waste it by getting ejected. It’s safe to say, like the Devils on that night, this fan also lost.
The Rangers’ win against the Devils was their 9th straight. They now possess 79 points, good for the third-best team in the league. They will take on the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon and try to extend the streak to 10, tying their franchise record. Meanwhile, the Devils will face the Montreal Canadiens this afternoon.
