On the heels of the best season in franchise history in 2010-11, sports fans in Cleveland can mark their calendar now for the return of Monsters hockey this fall. While the 2011-12 American Hockey League schedule will not be released until later this summer, the Lake Erie Monsters announced today that they will begin their fifth season at Quicken Loans Arena on Friday, October 7th, 2011.

Home-opening promotions will include the ever-popular Dollar Dog Night, a free postgame skate and much more, as the team will begin a season-long celebration of the fifth anniversary of Cleveland’s Lake Erie Monsters. Fans can expect the same fun, family-oriented, affordable entertainment at each Monsters game in 2011-12 as they have the past four years, something that just earned the team the 2010-11 AHL Award of Excellence for Fan Experience.

Beginning now through the end of July, fans will have a special Preview Opportunity to purchase tickets for the Monsters Home Opener . With every ticket purchased for the Opener on Friday, October 7th, fans will receive a free day pass to Castaway Bay (while supplies last).

A record number of fans turned out for Monsters games at The Q last season. The team averaged 6,568 fans per game in 2010-11, the best in franchise history and sixth in the 30-team AHL. The Monsters also posted the top average attendance (8,069) of the 16 teams participating in the AHL postseason, the team’s first time in the playoffs.

The Monsters are also coming off their best season on the ice in franchise history. The team set new all-time bests in single-season points (96), overall wins (44), home wins (24) and road wins (20). Lake Erie finished a franchise-best second in the North Division, earning the team’s first-ever playoff berth.

“We are extremely excited about our upcoming 5th Anniversary season of Monsters Hockey, where along with all of our great fans we will celebrate the rich hockey tradition in the City of Cleveland,” said Monsters COO Mike Ostrowski. “In conjunction with our 5th Anniversary, we are pleased to announce our Home Opener Ticket Preview and our new ‘No Money Down’ Ticket Plan as two great ways for our fans to see Monsters Hockey at The Q during the 2011-12 season."

Full season and partial season ticket plans, including the recently launched ‘No Money Down’ Ticket Plan – where payment is not due until October 1st – start at just $7 per seat and are on sale now. Group ticket packages for 20 or more are also on sale now. All plans can be purchased by visiting LakeErieMonsters.com or by calling (216) 420-0000. The entire 2011-12 schedule will be announced later in the summer and single game tickets will go on sale closer to the start of the season on a date to be announced. The 2011-12 broadcast and promotional schedules will also be announced at a later date.