Advertisement

Singer Ginette Reno, the Habs’ good luck charm?

Singer Ginette Reno, the Habs’ good luck charm?

Heart surgery didn't stop this music legend from bringing a little good luck to her hometown team.

Quebec superstar Ginette Reno, 67, suffered a heart attack in January, then underwent emergency bypass surgery.

This week, with the blessing of her doctors, the chanteuse performed for the first time since surgery. She sang the national anthem for the Montreal Canadiens.

On Sunday, Reno's stirring rendition of "O Canada" brought the crowd to its feet. Some fans believe it also inspired the Canadiens' first goal just 11 seconds in.

"I felt like the crowd said, 'We love you and we're going to sing with you tonight.' And the reaction was so big," Reno said of having more than 21,000 voices join her in singing the anthem that night.

Fans pleaded with the team on Facebook and Twitter to bring Reno back for the following game. Even Rene Bourque, the player who scored the quick goal, joked that she should return.

It wasn't long before Reno was being compared to Kate Smith, the Philadelphia Flyers' playoffs good-luck charm.

The Habs, not wanting to mess with a good thing, brought Reno back for Tuesday's game — and again, they scored shortly after she sang her final note.

Will she become a Habs playoff tradition?

"If that’s something we could create here we’d be more than happy to do that," Kevin Gilmore, the team's chief operating officer, told the Toronto Star. "Depending on what happens in the playoffs, we'd love to have her."

"I would love to, of course. I'm so proud," Reno said.

The Flyers' didn't play the video of the famous Kate Smith-Lauren Hart rendition of God Bless America at Game 3 this week — and lost.

Maybe the Habs should keep Reno on speed-dial.