A Montreal girl who was sent home from school last week for wearing an Ottawa Senators jersey has celebrated her team’s latest win in VIP style.
Grade 5 student Keila Penner and her family arrived to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals matchup in Ottawa Tuesday in a limo, courtesy of Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk.
Melnyk invited the entire Penner family to the game as his special guests, after learning that 11-year-old Penner was sent home last week for supporting her favourite team.
Students at Montreal’s Maple Grove Elementary School were given the option of wearing a Habs jersey instead of their regular uniform on Thursday in honour of Game 1 of the series. When Penner arrived at school in a Senators jersey, she was told she could either changed into a white T-shirt, or go home for the day.
Penner chose the latter.
“I didn’t think it was fair,” Penner told CTV Montreal on Tuesday. “I’m allowed to have my own opinion.”
Her father Cary Penner said the school missed an opportunity to teach students a good lesson.
“Especially about bullying and bullying is such a big thing now,” Penner said.
Speaking to reporters outside Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place on Tuesday, Penner said she “felt great.”
“There are so many people looking at me,” she exclaimed.
The family took in the game from Melnyk’s personal suite, where they celebrated the Senators’ overtime 3-2 win.
Penner said she’ll continue to wear her jersey as long as the Senators remain in the playoffs.
The Senators and the Habs will face off in Game 5 of the series in Montreal on Thursday.
With reports from CTV Ottawa and CTV Montreal
