KELOWNA 5
VICTORIA 4
While Team sa国际传媒 head coach Dave Lowry and defenceman Joe Hicketts were left to lament what could have been at the World Junior Hockey Championship, they weren鈥檛 alone in expressing their disappointment on Saturday.
Interim Victoria Royals head coach Enio Sacilotto, handling duties while Lowry was away in Finland, felt gutted as he watched along in the morning as sa国际传媒 lost its quarter-final to the host country. Sacilotto kept an eye on the game while he prepared for Victoria鈥檚 evening contest in Kelowna.
The Royals lost 5-4 to the Rockets to spoil the entire day.
鈥淰ery disappointing. I really feel for those guys, especially after what I thought was their best game,鈥� Sacilotto said of sa国际传媒鈥檚 6-5 loss. 鈥淲e worked around their game. We came down to the rink a little later in the morning, had a stretch and went over things to get ready.
鈥淲e wanted to give everyone a chance to watch the game,鈥� added Sacilotto, who had not talked with Lowry afterward. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure he鈥檚 not feeling too good about things. I feel bad for them. It鈥檚 a lot of work and personal sacrifice, being away from your family at Christmas time and spending your summer with it as well.
鈥淚t was hard to watch,鈥� admitted Sacilotto. 鈥淚 get more nervous watching, as a fan, than I am while coaching.鈥�
Sacilotto now awaits the return of Lowry, Hicketts and head equipment manager Matt Auerbach. The trio was originally expected to rejoin the Royals on Friday in Prince George. But with the early exit from the world junior tournament, there is a chance they could return for Tuesday or Wednesday鈥檚 home games against the Tri-City Americans.
鈥淲e are still waiting to hear. Their travel plans are in a state of flux,鈥� said Royals GM Cam Hope. 鈥淚t鈥檚 wait and see.鈥�
In their own game Saturday, the Royals fell behind 3-1 to the Rockets in the second period after a scoreless first, and eventually lost their second game in two nights after a 4-1 setback in Kamloops on Friday.
The Saturday loss drops the Royals to 23-14-1-2 in the Western Conference while Kelowna improves to 28-10-2-0.
Jared Dmytriw, with a pair, Logan Fisher and Tyler Soy scored for Victoria, while Dillon Dube, with a pair, Nick Merkley, Kole Lind and Justin Kirkland replied for Kelowna, which had a 4-1 lead before the late push.
鈥淲e hung in there and battled back,鈥� said Sacilotto.
