There’s a New Breed of Hockey at Sports Arena : Minor leagues: Ice Dogs of International Hockey League make their debut this weekend.

In a city known recently for professional sports teams leaving, a new one has arrived.

With bells on.

The coach has said from the first day of training camp that he expects a championship. Advertisements are all over town, and two of the players have their own radio show.

What they’re promoting is alternative hockey.

In the Los Angeles Ice Dogs, formerly the San Diego Gulls, the International Hockey League comes to the L.A. Sports Arena. After opening the season tonight in San Francisco, the Ice Dogs will play the Minnesota Moose in their home opener Sunday at 4:30.

So what is the IHL like?

Followers advise renting the movie “Slap Shot,” therein to learn that it’s fun, fast, free-wheeling and that there is, uh, fighting.

Once known as a “goon” league, the IHL has become a place for up-and-comers and a place for players on the NHL bubble. The effect is that there is quality professional hockey.

“Most of the top guys in this league could play on most NHL teams’ third or fourth line,” says Hubie McDonough, who played six years in the NHL, two of them with the Kings. “The differences are that there are no superstars, like a Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux, and the size and speed are a little bit less. Like me--here I’m a scorer. In the NHL I was a checker.”

McDonough, a center, is the team’s top scorer, having led the Gulls with 98 points last season. He will play on a line with Patrik Augusta and Dwayne Norris. Norris had 78 points last season in the American Hockey League, which is more of a developmental league for the NHL, and was named an AHL all-star. Augusta, a Czech native, has had three consecutive seasons of 30 goals or more.

The starting goalie will probably be Dave Littman, who spent the off-season playing roller hockey for the Los Angeles Blades. Littman has been an AHL all-star three times, the last time in 1993.

“We’re about where we expect to be at this point,” said John Van Boxmeer, the Ice Dogs’ coach. “[The players] have to get my style of play down. I like to go after teams and not sit back and play cat and mouse. It’s a little more read-and-react than some guys are used to, but it’s getting there.”

Van Boxmeer, 42, has been coaching for 10 years, eight as a head coach in the AHL. He won an AHL title and was runner up twice. His coaching record is 333-282-75.

“This [the Southwest] is going to be the toughest division, but it’s hard to say how things will be,” he said. “Phoenix, well, you don’t know because it depends on who the Kings send down. I know the Islanders are sending good guys down to Utah. So it’s hard to say. But I think we can win the championship.”

Ice Dog Notes

Perhaps the most recognizable Ice Dog is defensemen Mark Hardy, who joins the team as a player-coach after 14 seasons in the NHL, 10 with the Kings. Hardy, 36, played extensively in exhibitions and that figures to continue. . . . Parking will be free for Sunday’s home opener at the Sports Arena. . . . Prime Sports will televise nine home games including Sunday’s. KMAX (107.1 FM) will broadcast all games with Pete Arbogast doing the play-by-play. . . . The Ice Dogs were the San Diego Gulls for five years before moving to Los Angeles. Last year, they were an affiliate of the Mighty Ducks and finished 37-36-8.