The Ottawa Senators are launching Fan Appreciation Week on Sunday with a full slate of giveaways, contests and fan events planned to close out the regular season. The week-long celebration began Sunday as the Senators host the Carolina Hurricanes at the Canadian Tire Centre. Fans attending Sunday’s game took part in pre-game festivities outside Gate 1, including live music, inflatables, face painting and food and beverage specials. Supporters began arriving hours before puck drop Sunday afternoon, taking in the early buzz as the team kicked off the week-long celebration “It’s a great day to be out here, it’s the start of spring, we’re in the playoff push and this is our Easter Day,” says fan Matt Johnston. “We got a reservation inside the Canadian Tire Centre.” Additional home games on Tuesday, April 7 and Thursday, April 9 will also feature plaza events and in-game prizes, including opportunities to win game-worn jerseys and other giveaways. The organization says it’s a way to give back during a crucial stretch of the season. “We got $6 beers, $2 hotdogs. It’s just a little way of us saying thanks a lot,” says Peter Shier, vice president of marketing with the Ottawa Senators. “We hope you keep supporting the Sens. We’re into the crunch now, right down to the very end.” The celebration continues through the week and wraps up with a Fan Appreciation Skate on April 12, giving fans the chance to take to the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre. Fan Appreciation Week comes as the Senators push toward the end of the regular season, with several key games remaining on home ice.
