VICTORIA AT BRANDON
5:30 p.m. at the Keystone Centre
TV: None / Radio: The Zone 91.3 FM
His nickname is 鈥淧ie,鈥� and it was served rather generously on the Island as Dave Lowry was twice named Western Hockey League coach of the year in his five seasons on the Victoria Royals bench.
Perhaps it is only fitting that the Royals begin a six-game, 5,500-kilometre road trip through the Eastern Division tonight in Brandon against Lowry and his surging Wheat Kings, who have won nine consecutive games after a slow start.
The Royals, too, were streaking at 8-1-1 before dropping their last two games to arch-rival Vancouver Giants.
Overall, Lowry鈥檚 former assistant Dan Price has brought the same consistency to the Royals that Lowry did in recording a 209-124-27 regular-season record in Victoria before leaving for the NHL to become assistant coach of the Los Angeles Kings.
Neither man missed the playoffs in their Victoria tenures, with Price having guided the Royals to the second round in each of the two seasons since Lowry departed following the 2016-17 season. It has been noted how Price is a chip off the old Lowry block in being able to squeeze the most out of teams that don鈥檛 command a lot of high-wattage star power.
鈥淚 demand our guys play a certain way. And my demands are hard,鈥� said Lowry, who carved out a 19-season NHL playing career with the same attitude he brings to coaching.
鈥淸Third- and fourth-line] guys who play the hard minutes are appreciated on the teams I coach. You can have skilled players on a team, but unless all 20 guys are going hard, that skill at the top end will not be of value.鈥�
Although Price and Lowry are vastly different in demeanour and personality 鈥� almost good cop, bad cop 鈥� both are of the same mindset when it comes to coaching philosophy.
So it鈥檚 not surprising that although Price was Royals assistant coach for only one season under Lowry, the latter highly recommended to general manager Cam Hope that Price was the right person to replace him in Victoria.
鈥淵ou can see the level of professionalism and the organizational skills Dan brings with him to the job,鈥� Lowry said.
鈥淒an has an ability to communicate and an ability to lead.鈥�
Those are all-important attributes in coaching at the junior level, where basic skills development is still ongoing. That鈥檚 why Lowry, a former sa国际传媒 assistant and head coach at the world junior tournament, is in many ways back in his element.
鈥淚 enjoy teaching,鈥� Lowry said.
鈥淵ou can communicate a message at this level. The kids are sponges for information.鈥�
The ambition, however, remains making it back to coach in the pro game. Lowry makes no secret of it. The NHL is always the goal in this business, he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 an extremely driven person who wants to be working at the highest level.鈥�
Although the last time in the heady NHL milieu ended with being let go in Los Angeles, Lowry said he is grateful his time in Victoria at least gave him that opportunity. 鈥淚 was fortunate to work in a great city like Victoria with such passionate fans and for an outstanding organization,鈥� he said.
Lowry said the biggest discrepancy between the Western and Eastern conferences in the WHL is that four teams miss the playoffs in the East and only two in the West. 鈥淭hat is a huge difference,鈥� he said.
It appeared early on as if the Wheat Kings would be among the unfortunate four in the East this season before the current nine straight wins. The turnaround has been accomplished the Lowry way. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about the players now understanding what is required to be successful and learning they have to work every night,鈥� he said.
There are no magic recipes and there are certainly no short cuts.
That鈥檚 how you bake a Pie in the WHL.
