The beginning of the end starts Friday night for the Monsters, as they head to the Bradley Center to play the Milwaukee Admirals for the fourth and final time this season. After Friday’s game, Lake Erie has only four games left in the season, as they were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention after their 5-2 loss on Wednesday night against the Rockford IceHogs.

So far this season, the Monsters are 2-0-1 against the West Division’s top team, the Milwaukee Admirals. The Admirals, with a record of 45-21-3-6, have already clinched the West Division title and a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Now, all that is left for Milwaukee is to find out what seed they will be, as the Admirals are five points behind the Western Conference-leader, the Manitoba Moose, and three points ahead of the Grand Rapids Griffins, who are chasing the Admirals for the second seed in the Western Conference playoff picture.

After Friday’s game, the Monsters will return to Cleveland to host the Houston Aeros on Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena for a 7:30 p.m. tilt. This season, the Monsters have compiled a 1-2 record against the Aeros, a team that is competing for one of the final playoff spots, as they currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference playoff picture with five games to go. Essentially, the Aeros come to Cleveland for a must-win game, as the team is ahead of the Syracuse Crunch, Toronto Marlies and Rockford IceHogs by just two points in a battle that will see one of those teams miss out on postseason play.

Lake Erie will have Sunday off and return to the ice on Monday night to finish a game that was postponed on Saturday, March 21st against the San Antonio Rampage due to unsafe ice conditions. The game will continue at 6:00 p.m. at Hoover Arena in Strongsville and begin in the second period with the Rampage ahead, 1-0.

After Monday’s game, the Monsters have just two games left, as they travel to the AllState Arena to take on the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. before returning to The Q on Saturday, April 11th for their final game of the season against the Manitoba Moose.