MONTREAL – Most Montrealers weren’t celebrating the win by the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night, but the victory was sweet for one young woman from Lachine.
It’s not every day a Sens fan gets cheered just for showing up to a game, but Keila Penner isn’t an ordinary fan. She was a special guest at the Sens game as a reward for standing up for her team in Habs country.
The 11-year-old girl wore her Sens jersey to Maple Grove Elementary school on a Habs jersey day and was told to take it off.
Global’s story was noticed by the Ottawa Sens and she was invited by team’s owner to watch Tuesday night’s game from his private suite at Scotiabank Place.
Keila’s family was picked up from their home on the West Island in Montreal and driven to Ottawa in a limousine.
“It feels awesome. I think it’s amazing. I don’t know what to say,” said the diehard Sens fan.
It all started when the two teams faced off last week and Keila’s school held a support the Montreal Canadiens day. But when she wore her Sens jersey to school, it didn’t go over well and she was told to take it off.
“I was shocked because I couldn’t believe the other students could walk around with their jerseys and be proud and my daughter was not allowed that opportunity,” Keila’s father told Global News.
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“She was told to take it off, as if she was doing something wrong. I’m very proud of her.”
The school isn’t commenting on the incident, but even some Habs fans believe the principal’s call was offside
“What that principal did was totally wrong,” said one fan. “I spent 26 years in the navy defending freedom and for him to do that goes against everything I believe in.”
Keila’s courage caught the eye of the Ottawa Senator team owner, Eugene Melnyk.
“They have to fight their way through the world at that age and for her to stand like that as a little Sens fan, that is great stuff,” he said.
“I just wanted to make sure I could do something for them.”
He could have sent just sent an autographed jersey, but instead, he sent a limo 200 kilometres all the way to Montreal to get Keila and her family.
When the family arrived at Scotiabank Place, they were ushered into Melnyk’s private box and showered with gifts.
Watch footage of Keila at Scotiabank Place.
As her old jersey was at the heart of this controversy, the team decided she needed a new one.
Perhaps Keila and her jersey were a good luck charm because the Sens beat the Habs. But fans will have to wait at least one more game to find out which team will get the happy ending Keila did.
Watch an extended interview with the student and her family here
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