With all the general ugliness we've had to put up with as Cleveland sports fans this year, there is a team in town that is doing something worth keeping an eye on.

They play at The Q, and they're in a playoff chase.

No it's not the Cavs after 25 of their losses were given back by forfeit.

It's the Monsters.

Lake Erie had its five-game winning streak come to an end Saturday with a 2-1 loss to visiting Houston. Nevertheless, the Monsters are in a playoff chase. Going into Sunday, they were sitting in fourth in the AHL's North Division just five points off second-place Manitoba.

If you're a fan of local hockey, I encourage you to give the Monsters a chance. It's a mix of young guys and vets putting together a solid on-ice product while trying to make their mark and impress the Avalanche, the Monsters' parent club. It's a solid game presentation and, without sounding like a bad local commercial, fun for the whole family.

I covered the Monsters' game this past Thursday against Rochester, and it was a lot of fun. The Monsters came from behind for a 2-1 win in overtime. Now while admittedly if it was my call I would reconsider the idea of mixing dollar beer night and college ID night, the actual game made for a fun evening for those who were in attendance.

I would liken it to going and watching the Captains. You never know when you may tune into a pro game a few years down the line, see someone make a difference and say, "Oh yeah, I remember him." Minor-league fans take pride in that in a sense because it's players they had a chance to watch develop on a daily basis, if only for a while.

So if you get a chance in the next few months, pack up the family and head down to The Q to see the Monsters. It's a fun experience and unlike the other occupant of the building, they have a fighting chance at the playoffs. What a concept.

- Chris Lillstrung