The Montreal Canadiens were able to defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime of Game 6 on Thursday night to advance to the Stanley Cup Final -- their first in 28 years.
But as the Golden Knights recede into the offseason while their opponent goes for a championship, Vegas was able to create one last issue for Montreal and it revolves around ... Celine Dion.
During a timeout in Game 5 between the Canadiens and Golden Knights, Vegas put a photoshopped image of the singer in Golden Knights gear up on their video board. The very sight was anathema to Canadians, as Dion -- a native of Charlemagne, Quebec -- has long been an icon in the country.
The ordeal prompted Dion to defend her loyalties.
While making a post on Twitter to commemorate Saint-Jean-Bapstite Day, Dion alluded to the controversy, denying any involvement with the photo.
Thought she’d be a Habs fan! pic.twitter.com/otq4u7N2fl
— Chris Cuthbert (@CCpxpSN) June 23, 2021
"By the way, I have nothing to do with this photo…. And you know what photo I'm talking about!," Dion wrote in French.
Bonne Saint-Jean-Baptiste à toutes les Québecoises et à tous les Québécois. Je vous embrasse et vous souhaite une bonne fête nationale ! 💙💫
— Celine Dion (@celinedion) June 24, 2021
En passant, je n’ai rien à voir avec cette photo…. Et vous savez de quelle photo je parle ! 😉 - Céline xx...
Complicating matters is the fact that Dion has a residency in Las Vegas, and has sported Golden Knights gear in the past. The Canadiens were able to get back at Las Vegas, using one of the city's latest icons -- actor Ken Jeong of "The Hangover" fame -- to pump up their crowd in Game 6.
Like any score worth settling, the Canadiens were ultimately able to get the best of Vegas by beating them, 3-2, in an overtime thriller to advance to the Final.
The Canadiens will now play in the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1993, when they won Lord Stanley's Cup and became the last Canadian team to do so.
