Can the Montreal Canadiens beat the Rangers without Ginette Reno?
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Frank Doyle
Generally, hockey players and fans are some of the most superstitious beings on the planet. Players put their gear on the same way every time they suit up and fans will be sitting in their lucky chairs tonight when the New York Rangers host Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Montreal Canadiens. But when it comes to Habs fans, they’re on a completely different level in terms of superstitions.
That’s most of the reason why you’ve probably heard more about Ginette Reno in the past couple months than you’ve ever heard about an anthem singer in your lifetime. Ask anybody on Rue Crescent who the Habs’ good-luck charm and you’ll get one answer: Reno.
She has had Canadiens fans about ready to blow the top off the Bell Centre with her version of O Canada throughout the playoffs. On Tuesday, she had the stadium shaking and the Habs responded with an early goal that sent the home team well on its way to a 7-4 victory over the Rangers in Game 5 to cut New York’s series lead to 3-2.
“The first thing that I thought was I couldn’t believe how loud the crowd was,” Canadiens forward Lars Eller told reporters Wednesday. “I think they love her more than they love us. Even when we’re winning it’s not as loud as when she steps on the ice.”
However, they won’t have that boost from Reno when they take the ice tonight at Madison Square Garden as +145 underdogs in Game 6. Meanwhile, the Rangers are looking to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup finals and know the home-ice advantage is huge for them as well.
“We don’t want to come back here for a Game 7,” Rangers defenceman Marc Staal told reporters in Montreal Wednesday morning. “We want to have that desperation of a must-win game and bring it into our building and get a win.”
If they don’t, the Montreal Canadiens will have a chance to win the series deciding game Saturday night at home. And if that’s the case, they won’t have Ginette Reno in the building because she has a concert booked down the street. However, the Canadiens have confirmed that Reno will sing the anthem at Place Des Arts, which will be streamed live on the Bell Centre jumbotron.
That’s just how much she means to the Canadiens and their fans. Now all the Habs have to do is win on the road as underdogs to force a Game 7.