Video: A three year old Winnipeg Jets fan loses her cool when her favourite player gets no ice time. Crystal Goomansingh has the story.
WINNIPEG — If anyone ever doubted whether Winnipeggers take their hockey to heart, this video will set that misconception to rest.
A young fan was heartbroken on Thursday night when the Winnipeg Jets put Al Montoya in the net instead of her favourite player, Ondrej Pavelec — and her parents captured it with a video recording they posted to YouTube.
Bianca Simon, 3, went to pieces when she realized Pavelec wasn’t playing.
“I want Pav to be in there,” she cries in the video, pointing at the television.
“Montoya is a good Jet too,” her sister, Natasha, 5, reassures the preschooler in the video, but Bianca isn’t mollified.
When Global News asked the little girl why she was so upset, her response:
“I wanted Pavelec to be on the movie.”
The upset Bianca on the video is actually already calming down, said her mom, whose voice can be heard in the video.
“She just lost it like you wouldn’t believe,” Marilyn Simon said. “I bet a lot of people in Winnipeg were feeling this exact way. It’s been a long summer; she was more expressive about it.”
When Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec saw the video Friday he empathized with Bianca.
“I was crying too,” he told Global News with a laugh, “in the press box, because I couldn’t play.”
Al Montoya, who is also the father of a young daughter, was very understanding when he saw the breakdown.
“It’s Pavelec nation, you gotta understand it. She understands it,” he said, referring to Bianca.
The whole family enjoys Jets games and the Simon girls are big fans.
When Natasha started preschool and had to sing the national anthem, at first she always shouted the “True North” like a true Jets fan, although she’s since been convinced to drop the tradition at school.
“It was a very proud parenting moment,” Marilyn Simon said with a laugh.
Bianca now has a very special memento from her hockey hero.
With the help of Global News, Pavelec recorded a personalized message, reassuring his littlest fan he will be back on the ice again soon.
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