After playing 11 of their past 14 games at home, the Lake Erie Monsters take to the road this weekend, playing a pair of games in the Prairie State. The team will depart west to the state of Illinois to take on the Chicago Wolves at 8:30 p.m. Friday before traveling northwest to take on the Rockford IceHogs for the second time this season at the Rockford Metro Centre for an 8:05 p.m. tilt, which can be seen on MY43 WUAB.

The game against the Wolves will be the first of four regular season contests between the teams. Although the opponent is a new one, there will be some familiar faces on either side of the puck Friday.

Monsters alternate captain Darren Haydar spent two seasons – from 2006-2008 – with the Wolves, posting 180 points (60G, 120A) and 107 penalty minutes in 124 regular season games. The highlight of Haydar’s time with the Wolves undoubtedly was the 2008 playoffs, when the high-scoring forward lead Chicago to a Calder Cup, the second of his career. In those playoffs, Haydar put up 27 points (12G, 15A) in 24 games en route to winning the AHL championship.

On the blueline, defenseman Brett Skinner spent approximately half of last season with the Wolves, recording 23 points (3G, 20A) and four penalty minutes in 37 games with the top affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2008-09.

No stranger to the Colorado organization, defenseman Mike Vernace will be on the other side of the puck when it drops Friday night for the first time. Lake Erie’s all-time leader in games played, Vernace recorded 46 points (6G, 40A) and 109 penalty minutes in 144 games with the Monsters during their first two years in the AHL.

After Friday’s game with the Wolves, the Monsters travel even further west to take on the Rockford IceHogs. In the first matchup between the teams this year – Lake Erie’s home opener on October 10th – the Monsters suffered their first shutout of the season in a 3-0 loss. Despite a 24-save effort by goalie Tyler Weiman, the Monsters were unable to muster any offense, and the IceHogs put the game away with an empty net goal in the last minute of the game.

The Monsters return to Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday, December 12th to take on the Chicago Wolves at 7:30 p.m. before hosting the Wolves again on Sunday, December 13th at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling (216) 420-0000, by visiting LakeErieMonsters.com or by visiting any Northern Ohio Discount Drug Mart.