Lowry vs. Lowry in La La Land

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This article was published 22/11/2017 (2852 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LOS ANGELES — Adam Lowry had dinner with his folks Tuesday night and then took on his dad in an NHL hockey game Wednesday.

Not a typical 24 hours for any family, let alone the Lowrys.

Indeed, the Winnipeg Jets’ battle with the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center was a special one for the Lowry clan. While Adam was the middle man on the third line for the visitors, his father, Dave, stood behind the Kings’ bench as an assistant to head coach John Stevens.

Talk about the ultimate ‘take your kid to work’ day.

Dave, who joined the L.A. organization at the end of May, played 1,084 NHL regular-season games and 111 more in the post-season with five teams and reached the Stanley Cup final with the Florida Panthers in 1996. He was also a head coach in the Western Hockey League for six seasons.

Adam, who enjoyed some home cooking on the Jets’ off day with his dad and his mom, Elaine, said there was some hockey talk shared around the table but the conversation really didn’t turn to the impending Western Conference matchup.

“It was nice to get the day off and see my parents’ new neighbourhood and spend some time with them. It’s not too often the last few years… I haven’t seen them much during hockey seasons,” said Adam, who had two goals and an assist in 11 games heading into game. He missed nine contests with an upper-body injury suffered Oct. 12 in Vancouver.

“We talked about where my game’s at and things like that, just how he’s enjoying it down here. They’re really enjoying L.A. and all the activities that come with living in a nice climate. But no, we didn’t really talk too much about the game. I think we’ll both just enjoy battling against each other… hopefully, we get this one.

“I might shoot a puck at him, make sure he’s awake on the bench.”

In fact, he deposited a puck behind Kings’ goalie Jonathan Quick with just eight seconds left in the first period to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.

The father-son duo has knocked heads once before.

Back in 2012-13, Adam was in his final WHL season with the Swift Current Broncos, while Dave was behind the bench with the Victoria Cougars. Father knew best that night as the Cougars eked out a 2-1 triumph, although Adam — the Jets’ third-round pick (67th overall) in the 2011 NHL Draft — scored the lone goal for Swift Current.

“It’s just a unique opportunity. We’re happy to see him back in the NHL. He’s worked a long time and worked hard to get back here. I’m very happy for him and the Kings are off to a great start,” said Adam, on his dad’s return to the show.

Heading into Wednesday’s game, the Kings (12-7-2) led the Pacific Division and were tied with Nashville for third spot in the Western Conference, just a point back of Winnipeg.

“It’s exciting. It’s the top league in the world and it’s always great to see people doing well at different things. It was always his dream to get to the NHL as a coach and it’s nice to see him being able to accomplish that,” Adam said.

Dave, 52, who was an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames for three seasons (2009-12), said it’s been a thrill watching his son develop into a reliable, responsible centre within the Winnipeg organization.

“I know he takes a lot of pride in the role that he plays,” said Dave, who catches as much Jets action on the tube as he can. “He gets hard matchups and he plays heavy minutes against some very good players and it’s something that he really relishes.”

The Wednesday night encounter was one the family had circled on the calendar.

“When we took the job here we knew this day would come. It’s a moment you look forward to and we’ll enjoy it,” said Dave. “To be perfectly honest, we’ll treat it as another game. He’s going to play his game. Obviously, as a dad you’re proud but you just want to make sure your focus is your hockey team and you’re on the right side at the end of the night.”

Dave completed his playing career following the 2003-04 season with the Calgary Flames. The next winter, during the NHL lockout, he coached Adam’s peewee squad, the Bow Valley Flames, his first gig as a bench boss.

Adam jokes he was instrumental in kick-starting hs father’s next career — and Dave doesn’t argue.

“It was a year where hockey was coming to an end from a playing standpoint and it gave me an opportunity to really connect. And I was fortunate that they let me be one of the guest coaches for a year,” he said.

The couple has three other children, Sarah, Joel and Tessa. Interestingly, 26-year-old Joel was drafted by the Kings in the fifth round (140th overall) the very same summer as Adam, 24. He’s now with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL.

Dave said he’s always tried to be a regular hockey dad, offering positive advice to his kids — even with a pair at the pro level.

“One of the challenges when you have kids that are in a profession that you’re also in, it’s sometimes hard. I always told them to make sure you’re playing for the right reasons and you’re playing for yourself and you’re playing because you love the game,” he said. “Don’t think you have to play because it was something that as a family you grew up in. Do it for the right reasons and make sure you enjoy it.”

Being the child of an NHLer was a sweet gig, Adam said, although sometimes dad’s unique choice of employment threw a kid’s world right out of whack.

“There are certain things that go on that you don’t really understand. I remember, I think I was four or five at the time, my dad got traded on my brother’s birthday — Florida to San Jose. You find out you’re moving on that day,” he said, smiling. “It’s weird things like that that stick out.

“It was awesome. He played for so long. You get the opportunity to appreciate it more the older you get. When you’re younger, it’s cool, your dad’s kind of your super hero, regardless of what he does. The older you get, you start figuring it out (pro hockey) is maybe something that you want to do.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell