By Nick Chacos

The 2013-14 regular season is finally here!  The Manchester Monarchs hit the ice for their first regular season game against the Springfield Falcons at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in Massachusetts.  After the long process of training throughout the off-season, practicing with the Kings in Los Angeles, and working through their own training camp, the Monarchs are excited to start a new chapter and compete for a Calder Cup Championship.

The Monarchs may have a few new faces this year, but the early signs show they have already developed great chemistry together and are united in their focus to make a deep playoff run.  Left wing Tanner Pearson, center Linden Vey and right wing Tyler Toffoli have been reunited on a line and goaltender Martin Jones returns to backstop the team.  The Monarchs have added seven rookies to the team along with National Hockey League veteran defenseman Jeff Schultz in the hopes that they will provide the extra push that will help the team advance beyond the first round in the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Their first challengers, the Springfield Falcons, are sure to provide a great measuring stick to see just how much this team has improved since last season.  The Monarchs own a 67-23-6-4 all-time record in 100 games against the Falcons, but they know they cannot count on history to get them the win Saturday.  The Falcons were the second seed in the Eastern Conference during last year’s playoffs and just so happened to be the team that bounced the Monarchs out of postseason play with a 3-1 series victory in the first round.  It is not every season that the Monarchs get to open against the last team they played the year before, but they are certainly looking to capitalize on the opportunity.

“Obviously, when a team ends your season it adds a little fuel to the fire,” explained Monarchs Head Coach Mark Morris regarding the postseason rematch on Saturday.  “Much like ourselves, they are just starting the season and I’m sure they’re going to be in the same mode, trying to figure out what they’ve got under the hood.  I’m excited with our guys being somewhat familiar with the team that ended their season”

Vey, who led the team with 67 points last year, echoed Coach Morris’ excitement heading into the season opener.

“The whole summer, you look forward to the season starting up,” explained Vey.  “It’s finally here and we’re all looking forward to getting back on the ice.  It helps out that we played them in the playoffs.  Obviously, they knocked us out so we’re looking forward to getting back on the ice, especially against them.”

Both the Monarchs and the Falcons enter this season with undefeated preseason records of 2-0.  The Monarchs won both of their preseason games last weekend against the Portland Pirates, last year’s sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.  The first game was a dominating 5-2 performance in which defenseman Nick Deslauriers scored four goals.  In the second game, the Monarchs showcased great defensive play and goaltending with a 3-0 shutout.  The Falcons won both of their preseason games against the Hartford Wolf Pack, who missed the playoffs last season.  The Falcons won the first game in a 7-0 rout, but narrowly escaped their second matchup with a late goal to claim a 4-3 victory.  With both the Monarchs and the Falcons playing great hockey coming into the season, this first game will certainly be a statement victory for whoever comes away with the win.

Manchester is looking to improve their franchise record in season openers on Saturday.  The team is 5-7 in the season opener which includes a record of 2-4 on the road and 3-3 at home.  The Monarchs have faced-off against the Falcons once before in the season opener which fell on October 7, 2011.  The game was played at the Verizon Wireless Arena and the Monarchs skated away with a 5-2 victory.  Then-captain Marc-Andre Cliche picked up a natural hat trick, including the game-winning goal, and goaltender Martin Jones picked up the win with 23 saves on 25 shots.

Monarchs Country could not ask for a better start to the season with a chance to avenge last year’s playoff loss.  When the puck drops at the MassMutual Center on Saturday night, both teams are sure to give an all-out effort to achieve an undefeated start to the season.  The two teams play four times throughout the course of the regular season with their next matchup coming on Friday, November 29 in Manchester.  The Monarchs have their work cut out for them, playing a total of five road games before their own home opener against the Providence Bruins, last year’s Eastern Conference regular season leader, on Saturday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  Certainly, fans will have a much clearer picture of this Monarchs team’s identity within the next few weeks, but it all starts Saturday night against the Falcons.