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Winnipeg native and sister of Jets mascot is Golden Knights fan

Posted at 11:48 PM, May 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-12 14:50:15-04

Kelly Matsumura proudly wears her Golden Knights shirt, but she wasn't always a Las Vegas fan.  grew up as a big Jets fan in Winnipeg.

She's lived in Las Vegas for the past 12 years, and as a big hockey fan, was excited when Las Vegas finally got a professional sports team. But her change of allegiance didn't go over well with her family in Winnipeg.

"It's a big family feud right now. They said that I'm a traitor," she says. Her siblings aren't just big Jets fans, one of her brothers is actually the team's mascot, Benny the Jet.

She says her family in Winnipeg has been teasing her on social media. "Vegas is not a hockey city. Hockey cities are in Canada, the birthplace of hockey," her brother says.

But she's still glad the Conference Finals have put both of her hometowns on the map. She says many in Vegas don't know where Winnipeg is.

She has a message for her friends north of the border - "I'm thinking a 4-0 sweep!"

The airline WestJet has announced it's adding more flights between Winnipeg and Las Vegas during the series to accommodate traveling hockey fans.