Montreal Canadiens make 91-year-old’s bucket list wish come true

Ninety-one-year-old Irene Durdon had only one item left on her bucket list: to have her picture taken with the Montreal Canadiens.

And on Friday night her dream came true.

Durdon had a front row seat right behind the team at the Bell Centre for the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning — and was invited to visit the Habs’ locker room, to have her picture taken with Brendan Gallagher, her favourite player.

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Global News first told you about Irene’s life-long passion for the Habs Thursday.

The same night it aired, the story was tweeted at Gallagher, who said he’d love to meet her.

The story caught fire online after hundreds of viewers commented and shared it on social media.

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Durdon lives in what her granddaughter calls her “Nan cave.”

The Nan cave features all sorts of Habs memorabilia: her mantle is a shrine to her favourite players, complete with Brendan Gallagher and Carey Price dolls.

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READ MORE: 91-year-old Habs fan wants a photo with the team to complete her bucket list

Durdon never misses a game. On game nights, she suits up in her Habs pyjamas, grabs her Habs mug and her trusty Gallagher bracelet.

But on Friday night, she traded her Habs onesie for her jersey, and geared up to see her favourite team play in person.

“Ohhh it was great because I’m sitting right behind them, they were right there,” Durdon said. “Gallagher was right here.”

Durdon’s enthusiasm wasn’t lost on the star player.

“She just has a tendency to put a smile on your face and I think that’s what you’re looking for in people,” Gallagher said. “With the passion that she has, it was really cool to meet her.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "She just has a tendency to put a smile on your face and I think that's what you're looking for in people," Gallagher said. "With the passion that she has, it was really cool to meet her."

The Habs may have lost against Tampa, but for Durdon, it was the win of a lifetime.

She walked away with three pucks — one from Gallagher, another from Kirk Muller and a third for good measure.

The spry Nan even sneaked in a little kiss. “I kissed Carey Price,” she told Global News.