Watching baseball, talking hockey with Monarchs coach

MANCHESTER – Taking in his first Fisher Cats game in Merchantsauto.com Stadium last night with a splendid view of Verizon Wireless Arena in right center field, third-year Manchester Monarchs coach Mark Morris couldn't help but think hockey.

The Boston Red Sox-affiliate Portland Sea Dogs were painfully chipping away at the young Fisher Cats early. Morris recalled how last year's Monarchs were one of the youngest teams in the league and absorbed their lumps throughout the season.

They will be young again as the parent-club Los Angeles Kings continue their rebuilding.

Morris said 6-foot-7 center Brian Boyle and Teddy Purcell "proved they belong" at the NHL level. They were among 13 rookies with the Monarchs last season.

►Portland clobbers Fishers

As for replacing their scoring, a combined 56 goals, 145 points, the coach said, "They leave a huge hole to fill. No question about it. Not a whole lot of guys who can step into their rookie year and perform the way they did.

"We're going to need a big year from Trevor Lewis. We're going to need more scoring from Brady Murray and the depth players we had in the past," said Morris. "It's going to be scoring by committee with those guys taking a big step forward.

You have to score goals to win games," said Morris of the team's biggest question mark.

Manchester Monarchs coach Mark Morris and his daughter, Emily, take in the Fisher Cats game last night. Morris lives in Massena, N.Y. Emily was the captain of the two-time NCAA champion Badgers hockey team. (DAVID LANE)

Monarchs' goaltending should be solid as Jon Bernier, Dan Taylor, Jon Quick and rookie Jeff Zatcoff. Bernier will fight it out with Erik Ersberg for a spot with the Kings. Monarchs win no matter what in this department.

"No question we've made up some ground goaltending. Our goaltending shouldn't be an issue. Those guys performed great for us last year and I expect they're going to have to again," said Morris.

"Defensively we're encouraged," he said. "Josh Kidd (Erie Otters OHL) and Davis Drewiske (Wisconsin) are two good additions. They have good size and they're very workmanlike."

Still not alot of veteran help for the Monarchs on the horizon. The Monarchs signed diminutive defenseman Eric Werner, who played in Manchester two seasons ago. Morris is unclear on whether or not the Kings will re-sign forward Jeff Giuliano of Nashua.

"Whoever falls from the Kings' camp will be a guy who has already played here and proven himself at this level," said Morris.

"With our work habits and our grit we should be more respectable. But, it's going to be an extremely young team," he said Morris. "We're hopeful these guys will grow. This is a time in their career for them to shine."