Rangers rookie Matt Rempe brawls with Maples Leafs’ Ryan Reaves as he gets into FOURTH fight in seven games since his NHL debut last month

Rangers rookie Matt Rempe has fought for the fourth time since his NHL debut last month, when he brawled with Maple Leafs right wing Ryan Reaves in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to New York.

The 21-year-old, 6-foot-7 forward (previously a combatant in three fights in games against the Devils, Flyers and Islanders) and Reaves dropped their gloves in a spirited tilt in the third period with 5:59 remaining.

They exchanged right hooks while each clung to the other’s shirt with their left hands.

The fight lasted almost a minute with neither player falling to the ice and ended with no clear winner as the fans at Scotiabank Arena went wild.

Rempe, who is 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds, put on a strong showing against Reaves, a former Ranger. But the 37-year-old NHL veteran, who stands just 6-foot-2 and 226 pounds, also had a solid performance.

Max Domi, who scored the winning goal in the penalty shootout, was impressed with the toughness of both players.

“The hardest job in sport,” he said on his 29th birthday. ‘There is absolutely nothing even close. (…) Much respect for both boys.’

Maples Leafs forward John Tavares, who also scored, described the fight as a “throwback,” referring to the 1980s and 1990s, when players fought during games almost all the time.

“There was some anticipation, everyone was looking forward to it,” he said. “I don’t know how anyone would want to drop them with Reavo.”

After much pregame talk about Rempe and Reaves, the pair came close later in the period.

Reaves tried to get the forward’s attention in the neutral zone at the end of his shifts, but Rempe left to boos from the crowd at Scotiabank Arena.