Written by Marketing & Communications Manager – Belle Mercurio 

Cleveland is known for many things, including having some serious sports teams with incredible skills and records. The Cleveland Monsters are no exception. Leading the North Division with 25 wins out of a total of 40 games, the Cleveland Monsters we expected to take home a win this past weekend. Giving us an entertaining show, the Monsters ended up losing 3-2 against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

I was able to attend this game with my favorite people ever; my family! We started our evening trying out Mabel’s BBQ on East 4th Street, right across the street from Rock Mortgage Fieldhouse. Inspired by the Eastern European heritage of Cleveland, they aim to create a style of BBQ Clevelanders can call their own by incorporating Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard into the barbecue sauce and smoking meat over local fruitwood. And you can taste that smoke, the meats came out tender and delicious! With it being our first time there, we decided to with the recommendations from our waiter and went with the fatty brisket, pulled pork, turkey, and pork belly. Each meat came with our personal sides of Cleveland Kraut and pickles. Our surprise favorite was the pork belly with a tangy mustard glaze on top. We loved how everything in the restaurant was Cleveland-centric in some way, showcasing all of the hidden gems right here in the Land!

We then were able to walk right over to the game from dinner. Getting into Rocket Mortgage is so easy nowadays, we were inside the game in a matter of minutes, and with all of the clear signage and guest services attendants, we were able to make our way to section 207! These were a surprise for us, since getting these tickets through our partnership with Rocket Mortgage Feildhouse! Another special treat was upon arrival we were greeted with free “I love Monsters” t-shirts. We had the perfect seats to see the whole team in action, and there was plenty of action on the field. 

During the first period, the wolf pack was putting up a strong defense while the Monsters struggled to make a single point. During the second period, the Monsters were able to tie things up, but only for a short while before the wolf pack scored again. While the Monsters tried to come back, the time clock dwindled down, and the Hartford Wolf Pack sealed the game with a win. 

This game wasn’t without the entertainment. Besides the obvious action during the sport of the game, the Monsters included performances by the 216 Stix and Sully the Seagul. While the game ended in a loss, the night was a win for my family and me!