Canada's captain Maxime Comtois was the victim of cyberbullying after missing a penalty shot in his team's loss to Finland in the world juniors quarterfinal game.
The Anaheim Ducks prospect took to Twitter on Wednesday to respond to the spiteful comments and thank those who stood up for him.
"Thank you, everyone, for the kind words towards me and my family," Comtois said. "Cyberbullying is a real threat. No one should go through that. Let's prevent it. If you are getting bullied or ever had been please speak up."
Included in those who offered kind words for Comtois was Sidney Crosby, who offered advice to the 19-year-old and said the penalty shot won't "define who he is."
Comtois also wrote a heartfelt message to his teammates and Canadian fans despite exiting the tournament without a medal:
"Playing in the World Junior Championship and representing Canada is a dream to every hockey kid in this country, and it was mine too. Last year, we achieved our goal of winning a gold medal, but we can't say the same this year. However, this is not the end of the line for all of us, rather the start of our careers where we can learn from these types of games in order to advance as an athlete and grow as a person. Myself and my teammates gave their hearts and souls, both on and off the ice, to represent our country to the best of our abilities.
"The three-and-a-half-week process we went through will be one I will remember for my whole life. We grew from a group of hockey players around Canada to a family in that short amount of time. I want to thank each of my teammates for giving their best efforts every night, and the great Canadian fans for being behind us every single game. Especially our families, who sacrificed their holidays to support and be with us during this journey. I am proud to be Canadian, honored to wear the maple leaf on my chest and represent my country on the ice."
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