Head coach Dave Lowry is 1-1 since returning to the Victoria Royals in a Western Hockey League season which has exceeded expectations overall at 25-15-4. But that, of course, was not the main topic of conversation as Lowry met with the local media for the first time in more than a month.
The vitriol, anger and mockery that comes with the new, mostly anonymous, world of social media likely can鈥檛 be escaped. It can only be endured by those who attract its wrath. Just ask Lowry, Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh or anybody else who is deemed not to have lived up to the lofty expectations of Twitter experts.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 win, you are going to be criticized,鈥� said Lowry, responding to the often harsh online reaction to his coaching of sa国际传媒 to a disappointing sixth place at the recent 2016 world junior championship in Finland.
鈥淚n this day and age, it鈥檚 what we deal with and what we live with.鈥�
Lowry is a big boy and can handle it. What most upset him were social media insults hurled at the players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to lose perspective. But when you see personal attacks on the kids [junior players], it鈥檚 disappointing,鈥� he added.
Lowry said, even in hindsight, he wouldn鈥檛 have done things much differently.
鈥淎side from the outcome, it was a great experience working with our top Canadian junior players,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great credit to our Royals organization that we had three people [Lowry, defenceman Joe Hicketts and equipment manager Matt Auerbach] with the Canadian team.鈥�
But it鈥檚 from country back to club as they prepare for key Royals home dates Friday and Saturday against the Western Conference-leading Kelowna Rockets (29-10-3) at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Lowry, Hicketts and Auerbach joined the team on the road for last weekend鈥檚 split in Prince George against the Cougars. Tuesday was the first full Royals practice back as a complete team since early December.
鈥淓nio [assistant coach Sacilotto] did a great job when Dave [Lowry] was away. But now we鈥檙e whole, with everybody back,鈥� said Tyler Soy, who has six goals and seven assists for 13 points in the last eight games, in combining well with linemates Jack Walker and Vladimir Bobylev.
鈥淲ith Dave back, it鈥檚 a little more intense with everybody making sure they are bearing down, and not messing up as much.鈥�
