Southern Professional Hockey League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Southern Professional Hockey League | |
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 2004 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country |  United States |
| Current champions | Knoxville Ice Bears |
| Official website | www.thesphl.com |
The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) is a professional ice hockey league with teams located in the southeastern United States.
The SPHL's history traces back to three other short-lived leagues. The Atlantic Coast Hockey League started play in the 2002-03 season. After its only season, the league became the South East Hockey League, in the same season as the World Hockey Association 2 began play. As both the SEHL and WHA2 folded, surviving teams from both leagues as well as two expansion teams formed the SPHL for the 2004-05 season.
Members for the 2006-07 season are the:
- Columbus Cottonmouths (Columbus, Georgia) Joined SPHL 2004-05, Charter Member.
- Fayetteville FireAntz (Fayetteville, North Carolina) Joined SPHL 2004-05, Charter Member.
- Huntsville Havoc (Huntsville, Alabama) Joined SPHL 2004-05, Charter Member.
- Jacksonville Barracudas (Jacksonville, Florida) Joined SPHL 2004-05, Charter Member.
- Knoxville Ice Bears (Knoxville, Tennessee) Joined SPHL 2004-05, Charter Member.
- Florida Seals (Kissimmee, Florida) Joined SPHL 2005-06.
- Pee Dee Cyclones (Florence, South Carolina) Joined SPHL 2005-06.
- Richmond Renegades (Richmond, Virginia) Joined SPHL 2006-07.
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[edit] Defunct Teams
- Macon Trax (Macon, Georgia) SPHL 2004/05, WHA2 2003/04, ACHL 2002/03
- Winston-Salem Polar Twins (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) 2004/05
- Asheville Aces (Asheville, North Carolina) 2004/05
[edit] Future Expansion
- None at this time.
The Orlando Seals (WHA2; Orlando, Florida) were supposed to be a charter franchise as well, but their lease at the TD Waterhouse Centre was revoked before play began. They returned for the 2005-06 season as the Florida Seals, playing out of the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida.
Knoxville has won the Commissioner's Cup (regular season championship) during both seasons of the SPHL's existence. Columbus won the President's Cup (playoff championship) in 2005, while Knoxville took the title in 2006.
[edit] Key Rule Differences
As per minor leagues, there are some rule differences between the SPHL and the NHL (and even the ECHL and AHL).
- A team may dress sixteen regular players to a game. Two players dressed for the game will be goaltenders.
- There is no delay of game minor penalty if a skater intentionally shoots a puck into the stands. The penalty will be similar to icing the puck, with the team clearing the puck into the stands not being permitted a line change.
- The goaltender can play the puck anywhere on the ice surface (no trapezoid restriction).
- A mouthpiece is required for all players except the goaltender.
- No curvature of stick limitations as in the NHL, AHL, and ECHL.
- All overtime periods in the regular season are between three skaters per team and the goaltender (3 on 3, compared to 4 on 4 in other leagues). Penalty rules differ during the overtime:
- During the first three minutes of overtime, in case of a penalty, the non-offending team is awarded one extra skater per penalty (up to five).
- In the final two minutes, any minor penalty results in an automatic penalty shot.
http://www.thesphl.com/news/?id=4229
[edit] SPHL Champions
- 2005-2006 Knoxville Ice Bears
- 2004-2005 Columbus Cottonmouths
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Southern Professional Hockey League | |
| 2006-07 teams: Columbus Cottonmouths | Fayetteville FireAntz | Florida Seals | Huntsville Havoc | Jacksonville Barracudas | Knoxville Ice Bears | Pee Dee Cyclones | Richmond Renegades | |
| Trophies and Awards: President's Cup | Commissioner's Cup | |
| Related Articles: NHL | AHL | CHL | ECHL | UHL | World Cup | |
| North American Professional Hockey | |
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| National Hockey League | |
| Minor League Hockey | |
| High Level: American Hockey League Mid Level: Central Hockey League | ECHL |
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