There is a buzz of excitement in New Hampshire these days.  Is it because the boys of summer are back playing at a beloved ballpark in Boston?  No.  Is it because a Boston hockey team is about to defend their Stanley Cup Championship from a year ago?  No.  Is it because a veteran savvy basketball team is surprising everybody by pushing a superstar studded team to the brink of elimination sending them to an unexpected NBA Finals appearance?  Perhaps a little, but that is not quite the reason for the excitement.

The buzz is for the Los Angeles Kings.  Yes, a West Coast hockey team has an East Coast state moving with a little more spring in their step than usual.  That is because New Hampshire is Monarchs Country and the home of 14 Monarchs alumni that now grace the roster of the Kings who are just one win shy of the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship.

“I am really proud of the team because, as a Monarchs fan, you get to see 19 and 20 year old kids chasing their dreams and now seeing them on the Kings and playing for the Stanley Cup is really thrilling,” said Sonya Desmond, a Ticket Package Holder with the Monarchs.

The excitement is evident throughout Monarchs Country and in particular in the Monarchs Front Office, where the telephones have been ringing with ecstatic fans.

“I think a lot of fans have been taking satisfaction in the fact that they were at the games in Manchester before many of the current Kings players were playing on hockey’s biggest stage,” said Monarchs Ticket Services Representative Michael Neis.  “I get phone calls everyday from fans wanting to talk about the Kings and the former Monarchs who are now having tremendous success in the NHL.”

The Monarchs have organized viewing parties in the heart of Monarchs Country just a few blocks from the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire at a place called JW Hill’s Sports Bar and Grille.  The next viewing party will be this Saturday night when the Kings travel to play the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final which is a potential Cup clinching game for Los Angeles who leads their series 3-1.

“I am not sure if I am going to the viewing party on Saturday but probably because I really like the energy of having all the fans there,” said Desmond.  “It is really nice just to be able to have all those people in one location.  Here it is a little tough because you have mostly Bruins fans so to have that camaraderie with others is a great feeling.”

The success of former Monarchs during the Kings playoff run is leaving Monarchs Country in great anticipation of next season.

“I am always anticipating the Monarchs season,” said an eager Desmond.  “Every time (hockey season ends) it so disappointing because there is no hockey (during the summer).  Right now, just having hockey and especially with former Monarchs playing right now in the middle of summer is great and it is closing the gap between the time when we can see hockey live again in Manchester.”

Monarchs Country has embraced the Kings Cup run but October still cannot come soon enough.