What does the PEN in Pensacola stand for?

Answer: Penalty, or more accurately, penalties (plural, very plural).

Apparently, the only compass being used by the PENsacola Ice Pilots these days is the one plotting a course straight to the penalty box.

The ECHL team in PENsacola, which the Lynx visit this weekend, is committing enough hooking and slashing to fill up a horror movie title 10 times over.

Sure, the ECHL is enforcing rules differently this season. But 309 penalty minutes (PIM) in seven games?

That's 115 more than the next closest team and an average of 44.1 PIM per game. Regulation hockey games are 60 minutes, meaning there is an Ice Pilot landing in the box for the time it takes to play 3/4 of a game.

"I just don't have any answers right now," Pilots coach George Dupont told the Pensacola News Journal this week. "We're obviously not adjusting to the new standards set forth by the league, and it's becoming a real problem."

According to the ECHL's game summaries, PENsacola's penalties can be summed up like this:

- 107 minors (including 2 high sticking, 15 interference, 8 slashing, 12 tripping, 25 hooking, 3 boarding, 10 holding, 16 roughing, 3 obstruction, 2 charging, 3 cross-checking);

- 9 majors (fighting);

- 1 10-minute misconduct;

- 4 game misconducts.

The Ice Pilots (0-7-0) earned 82 PIM on 26 minors in a 6-4 loss to Texas on Oct. 28 and picked up 70 in a 4-1 loss to Texas on Oct. 27.

Their style also encourages other teams to join them in the parade to the penalty box. Pensacola's opponents have earned 241 PIM, which is 26 more than any other team has provoked.

"Stay disciplined," Augusta coach Bob Ferguson said when asked what you tell a team about to play a team like PENsacola. "I don't know what type of penalties they are, but we have to stay disciplined. We have to put a lot of emphasis on staying out of the box and taking advantage of our power play situations."

One of the leaders of the Pilots is former Lynx assistant captain Dan Sullivan, a crowd favorite for his energy and, um, PENchant for fighting.

Sullivan is tied for the league lead with 4 major penalties, all fights.

"Sully is definitely an energy player and offensively he's off to a pretty good start (five points)," Ferguson said. "Any time a player plays his old team you want to do extra well. He's such a competitive player, that I'm sure he'll bring his best game to the rink."

In comparison, the Lynx have committed just 100 PIM, tied for third-fewest in the league. Granted, they've also played three less games.

But look at the averages. Augusta's is 25 PIM per game (19th). PENsacola's is 44.1 (1st). Watch out.