A professional hockey team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are in the Northeast Division of the AHL (American Hockey League). The AHL is generally considered to be above the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League) and the CHL (Central Hockey League) but below the NHL (National Hockey League). The Bridgeport Sound Tigers were founded in 2001. The head coach of the team (as of 2011) is Brent Thompson. The team plays out of ¬¬the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport. Their NHL affiliates are the New York Islanders.