Each week Arizona Sundogs Head Coach Marco Pietroniro will answer a series of questions from fans. E-mail your questions to coachscorner@arizonasundogs.com and check back here to read his answers.
Q: What is the CHL? What are the other teams in our division?
A: The Central Hockey League will begin its 16th season of play this fall, maintaining a tradition of outstanding competition and entertainment first established in 1992. The CHL continues to build as a development league, furthering relationships with both the National and American Hockey Leagues develops players for the higher level leagues. The CHL is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and is operated by Global Entertainment Corporation. The CHL is composed of 17 teams located in nine states throughout the United States. Retunring for the 2007-08 season are the Texas Brahmas after a one-year hiatus. The Sundogs will be in the four-team Southwest Division along with the Amarillo Gorillas, New Mexico Scorpions and Odessa Jackalopes.
Q: How will your NHL affiliation with the Coyotes help shape the Sundogs?
A: Our NHL affiliation with the Phoenix Coyotes will play a vital role in not only the success of the Sundogs but in the on-ice look of the team as well. In a developmental league such as the Central Hockey League (CHL), a team’s main purpose is to help grow a player’s talent and skill so as to be able to send him to the American Hockey League (AHL) and eventually, the NHL. Our affiliation with the Coyotes will provide us with players in which they would like to see develop as professional athletes.
Q: What’s a line change?
A: A line change is when the players on the ice come to the bench and are replaced by new players.
Q: What is a short-handed goal?
A: A short-handed goal occurs when a team killing a penalty (playing with fewer players than the opposing team) scores a goal.
Q: How many players are on the ice at one time?
A: There are several different answers to this question. The majority of the time, each team will have six (6) total players on the ice at once:
- Three (3) forwards
- Two (2) defenseman
- One (1) goalie
However, this may change depending on several situations: If a team takes a penalty, they will play down one man for a specific amount of time, depending on the severity of the penalty. But, a team can’t play more than two men down at any given time during a game. If one team receives more than two penalties, only two penalties will be served at once. Remaining penalties will start once at least one has expired. Sometimes near the end of a game, if a team is down by a goal, they will pull their goalie off the ice and replace him with an offensive player. Even though the number of total players remains at six (6), the number of offensive and defensive players changes from five (5) to six (6).
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