Ginette Reno to sing the national anthem during game one

Ginette Reno has announced that she will return to the Bell Centre to sing the Canadian national anthem for the first game of the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers playoff game on Wednesday night.

During the 2014 and 2015 playoff runs, Ginette Reno brought the Bell Centre crowd to their feet when she would follow the American anthem with a stirring rendition of the Canadian national anthem.

Mme Reno is a Quebec legend for music and film, whose award-winning career spans several decades, and encompasses both the English and French languages, encapsulating the spirit of Montreal. Her presence raised the throngs of fans at the Bell Centre to a frenzied pitch prior to start of the home games, and was said to bring luck to the team.

In particular there was a game during the 2014 playoffs when Reno shook hands with Daniel Briere after the anthem, and Briere went on to score the game-winning goal that night. Superstition? Coincidence? Who cares, as few things add to the atmosphere of a playoff game in Montreal as Mme Reno.

Sara Diamond, who also sings the anthems at the Bell Centre, hinted at being at the game on Wednesday, perhaps to sing the American anthem.