2008 DIII World Championship Qualification

The 2008 DIII World Championship Qualification was a competition held between February 15th and February 17th 2008 at the Zetra Olympic Hall in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The winner of the tournament was to take part in the 2008 DIII World Championship held in Luxembourg.

Participating teams

 * Armenian National Team
 * Bosnian-Herzegovinian National Team
 * Greek National Team

Calendar
Feburary 15 Greece - Bosnia-Herzegovina

Feburary 16 Greece - Armenia

Feburary 17 Bosnia-Herzegovina - Armenia

Armenia (ARM)

 * Forwards: Hakob Avetisyan, Manuk Balyan, Karapet Blikyan, Armen Bubushyan, Joe Elmazyan, Marten Galustyan, John Ghazanchyan, Raffi Kajberouni, Gevork Kandakharyan, Artur Kechejyan, Levon Khachatryan, Sargis Mazmanyan, Harutyun Qeshishyan, Davit Takvoryan, Grikor Demerchyan, Aram Vardanyan
 * Defencemen: Aram Abrahamyan, Karpis Apelyan, Aram Deterdaryan, Andranik Khachatryan, Edgar Lalayan, Samvel Zakharyan, Petros Zhamkochyan
 * Goaltenders: Harutyun Baluyan, Lavik Ghazaryan, Arten Kasumyan
 * Head Coach: Doug Decesare

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH)

 * Forwards: Muamer Dzamalija, Dino Dzelkic, Ermin Hasovic, Aleksandar Knezevic, Hasan Kukic, Adnan Mrkva, Dubravko Posavec, Zemir Prolaz, Safet Sendic, Mirsen Tikvesa, Armen Velic
 * Defencemen: Nermin Alic, Armin Arslanagic, Samir Bajric, Zlatko Dugandzic, Omar Halilovic, Denis Mrkva, Zeljko Neskovic, Admir Pilav, Bozo Plemic, Faruk Tahtovic
 * Goaltenders: Amel Capin, Dino Pasovic
 * Heand coach: Marko Zidjarevic

Greece (GRE)

 * Forwards: Igor Apostolidis, Lazaros Efkarpidis, Dimitrios Kalyvas, Georgios Kalyvas, Pavlos Kasampoulis, Athanasios Kesidis, Ioannis Koufis, Giorgios Kouleles, Themistoklis Lambridis, Viktoras Mateevitis, Iasonas Pachos, Alexandros Valsamas-Rallis
 * Defencemen: Nikos Chatzigiannis, Panagiotis Iatridis, Kostas Lembesis, Nikos Papadopoulos, Diogenis-Panagiotis Souras, Orestis Tilios, Ioannis Ziakas
 * Goaltenders: Georgios Fiotakis, Ntalimpor Ploutsis
 * Head coach: Panagiotis Efkarpidis

February 15th
Greece 10-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina First period:
 * Penalty 02:14 04:14 GRE 2min. 8 PACHOS I - Holding
 * Penalty 03:25 05:25 BIH 2min. 18 PLEMIC B - Hooking
 * Penalty 03:42 05:42 BIH 2min. 12 DUGANDZIC Z - Tripping
 * Penalty 06:38 08:38 GRE 2min. 13 KOUFIS I - Tripping
 * Penalty 06:38 16:38 GRE 10min. 21 KALYVAS D - Misconduct
 * Penalty 07:33 09:33 GRE 2min. 2 APOSTOLIDIS I - Hooking
 * Penalty 08:11 10:11 BIH 2min. 8 BARAKOVAC E - Tripping
 * 1-0 11:30 GRE Igor Apostolidis (1) (Panagiotis Iatridis) EQ
 * Penalty 12:49 14:49 GRE 2min. 22 LEMPESIS K - Charging
 * Penalty 16:01 18:01 GRE 2min. 19 KALYVAS G - Checking to the head and neck area
 * Penalty 16:01 28:01 GRE 10min. 19 KALYVAS G - Misconduct
 * Penalty 19:26 21:26 GRE 2min. 2 APOSTOLIDIS I - Elbowing

Second period:
 * Penalty 20:42 22:42 GRE 2min. 13 KOUFIS I - Interference
 * 1-1 20:53 BIH Muamar Dzamalija (1) (Denis Mrkva, Emir Barakovac) PP1
 * 2-1 21:54 GRE Nikolaos Papadopoulos (1) (Igor Apostolidis) SH1
 * 3-1 25:18 GRE Alexandros Valsamas-Rallis (1) (Iasonas Pachos) EQ
 * Penalty 25:53 27:53 GRE 2min. 23 IATRIDIS P - Slashing
 * Penalty 26:16 28:16 BIH 2min. 11 MRKVA D - Holding
 * 4-1 26:55 GRE Lazaros Efkarpidis (1) (Themistoklis Lambridis) EQ
 * Penalty 28:33 30:33 GRE 2min. 14 SOURAS D - Interference
 * Penalty 30:24 32:24 GRE 2min. - Team penalty - Too Many Players on the Ice
 * Penalty 32:00 34:00 BIH 2min. 8 BARAKOVAC E - Tripping
 * 5-1 33:10 GRE Athanasios Kesidis (1) (Igor Apostolidis) PP1
 * Penalty 34:52 36:52 GRE 2min. 23 IATRIDIS P - Roughing
 * Penalty 34:52 36:52 BIH 2min. 8 BARAKOVAC E - Roughing
 * Penalty 35:07 37:07 BIH 2min. 23 ARSLANAGIC A - Slashing
 * Penalty 38:03 40:03 GRE 2min. 24 PAPADOPOULOS N - Kneeing
 * Penalty 38:20 40:20 BIH 2min. 14 DZAMALIJA M - Slashing

Third period:
 * Penalty 41:26 43:26 BIH 2min. 18 PLEMIC B - Slashing
 * 6-1 41:52 GRE Ioannis Koufis (1) (Igor Apostolidis) PP1
 * Penalty 43:25 48:25 BIH 5min. 5 NESKOVIC Z - Checking from Behind
 * Penalty 43:25 60:00 BIH 20min. 5 NESKOVIC Z - Game Misconduct
 * 7-1 43:46 GRE Giorgios Kalyvas (Dimitrios Kalyvas) PP1
 * 8-1 44:02 GRE Ioannis Koufis (2) PP1
 * GK 44:47 BIH 25 CAPIN A - Goalkeeper in 20 PASOVIC D - Goalkeeper out
 * GK 46:07 GRE 1 FIOTAKIS G - Goalkeeper in 25 PLOUTSIS N - Goalkeeper out
 * 9-1 50:38 GRE Dimitrios Kalyvas (1) (Lazaros Efkarpidis) EQ
 * Penalty 50:54 52:54 GRE 2min. 12 KESIDIS A - Interference
 * Penalty 51:36 53:36 BIH 2min. 14 DZAMALIJA M - Tripping
 * Penalty 51:52 53:52 GRE 2min. 8 PACHOS I - Tripping
 * Penalty 57:49 59:18 BIH 2min. 10 PILAV A - Checking to the head and neck area
 * Penalty 57:49 60:00 BIH 10min. 10 PILAV A - Misconduct
 * Penalty 58:50 60:00 BIH 2min. 23 ARSLANAGIC A - Tripping
 * Penalty 59:01 60:00 BIH 2min. 14 DZAMALIJA M - Holding
 * 10-1 59:18 GRE Igor Apostolidis (2) (Ioannis Koufis) PP2

Goaltenders: GRE Ntalimpor Ploutsis W, 1-1-0-0 ; BIH Dino Pasovic L, 1-0-1-0 shots on goal: GRE: 46 BIH: 19


 * Referee: Thomas Berneker (AUT)
 * Linesmen: Martin Engelhardt (DAN), Artem Korepanov (UKR)
 * Attendence: 3100

February 16th
Greece 8 - 5 Armenia (game was later forfeited and declared 5-0 win for Greece) First period:
 * 0-1 01:17 GRE Igor Apostolidis (3) EQ
 * 1.31 2 min Greece 8. PACHOS, Iason Interference
 * 2.55 2 min Greece 2. APOSTOLIDIS, Igor Tripping
 * 1-1 03:59 ARM Manuk Balyan (1) (Petros Zhamkochyan) PP1
 * Penalty 5.30 2 min ARM 12. DETERDARYAN, Aram Roughing
 * Penalty 8.40 2 min GRE 2. APOSTOLIDIS, Igor Elbowing
 * Penalty 11.05 2 min ARM 19. ABRAHAMYAN, Aram Tripping
 * Penalty 13.28 2 min ARM 15. MAZMANYAN, Sargis Charging
 * Penalty 14:16 2 min GRE 10. VALSAMAS-RALLIS, Alexandros High Sticking
 * 1-2 14:28 GRE Igor Apostolidis (4) (Nikolaos Papadopoulos, Dimitrios Kalyvas) EQ
 * Penalty 16.32 2 min ARM 15. MAZMANYAN, Sargis Roughing
 * Penalty 17.47 2 min GRE 18. LAMBRIDIS, Themistoklis Tripping
 * '''2-2 17:59 ARM John Gazanchyan (1) (Petros Zhamkochyan) EQ

Second period:
 * Penalty 20.30 2 min GRE 24. PAPADOPOULOS, Nikolaos Slashing
 * Penalty 21.04 2 min ARM 2. GHAZANCHYAN, John Interference
 * Penalty 21.25 2 min GRE 2. APOSTOLIDIS, Igor Slashing
 * Penalty 22.57 2 min ARM 9. AVETISYAN, Hakob Elbowing
 * Penalty 24.03 2 min ARM 11. ZHAMKOCHYAN, Petros Checking to the head and neck area
 * Penalty 24.03 10 min ARM 11. ZHAMKOCHYAN, Petros Misconduct
 * 2-3 24:54 GRE Ioannis Koufis (3) (Igor Apostolidis, Dimitrios Kalyvas) PP2
 * Penalty 25.47 2 min GRE 22. LEMPESIS, Konstantinos Interference
 * 2-4 26.09 GRE Georgios Kalyvas (1) (Lazaros Efkarpidis, Igor Apostolidis) SH1
 * Penalty 28.13 2 min ARM 10. KECHEJYAN, Artur Roughing
 * Penalty 28.13 2 min GRE 18. LAMBRIDIS, Themistoklis Elbowing
 * Penalty 28.13 2 min GRE 18. LAMBRIDIS, Themistoklis Roughing
 * Penalty 29.36 2 min GRE 24. PAPADOPOULOS, Nikolaos Interference
 * Penalty 29.57 2 min ARM 15. MAZMANYAN, Sargis Holding
 * '''2-5 32:28 GRE Igor Apostolidis (5) EQ
 * 2-6 33.39 GRE Orestis Tilios (1) (Igor Apostolidis, Dimitrios Kalyvas) EQ
 * Penalty 34.30 2 min GRE 18. LAMBRIDIS, Themistoklis Tripping
 * Penalty 35.13 2 min ARM 3. APELYAN, Karpis Roughing
 * Penalty 35.50 2 min GRE 13. KOUFIS, Ioannis Interference
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min GRE 13. KOUFIS, Ioannis Roughing
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min ARM 12. DETERDARYAN, Aram Roughing
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min ARM 7. QESHISHYAN, Harutyun Roughing
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min GRE 2. APOSTOLIDIS, Igor Roughing
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min GRE 21. KALYVAS, Dimitrios Roughing
 * Penalty 38.47 2 min GRE 13. KOUFIS, Ioannis Roughing

Third period: Dangerous Equipment (Equipment Infraction)
 * Penalty 40:00 42:00 GRE 2min. - Team penalty - Illegal or
 * 3-6 42:48 ARM 11 Petros Zhamkochyan (1) EQ
 * 4-6 43:50 ARM 13 Manuk Balyan (2) EQ
 * 5-6 44:41 ARM EQ 10 Artur Khechejyan (1) EQ
 * GK 44:41 GRE 1 FIOTAKIS G - Goalkeeper in 25 PLOUTSIS N - Goalkeeper out
 * Penalty 45:09 47:09 ARM 2min. 10 KECHEJYAN A - Checking from Behind
 * Penalty 45:09 57:09 ARM 10min. 10 KECHEJYAN A - Misconduct
 * Penalty 48:59 60:00 ARM 20min. 11 ZHAMKOCHYAN P - Game Misconduct
 * Penalty 48:59 50:59 GRE 2min. 11 TILIOS O - Roughing
 * Penalty 53:06 55:06 ARM 2min. 15 MAZMANYAN S - Holding
 * Penalty 53:06 60:00 ARM 10min. 15 MAZMANYAN S - Misconduct / start serving at 55:06
 * Penalty 57:48 59:48 ARM 2min. 9 AVETISYAN H - Slashing
 * Penalty 58:16 60:00 GRE 2min. 11 TILIOS O - Tripping
 * 5-7 58:55 GRE EQ 21 Dimitrios Kalyvas (2) EQ
 * GK 59:27 ARM 25 GHAZARYAN L - Goalkeeper out
 * 5-8 59:29 GRE 24 Nikolaos Papadopoulos (2) EN

'''Goaltenders: GRE Ntalimpor Ploutsis W, 2-2-0-0; ARM Lavik Ghazaryan L, 1-0-1-0 shots on goal: GRE: 37 ARM: 28


 * Referee: Djordje Fazekas (SRB)
 * Linesmen: Kiril Peychinov (BUL), Patryk Pyrskala (POL)
 * Attendence: 50

February 17th
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-18 Armenia (game was later forfeited and declared 5-0 win for Bosnia-Herzegovina)

First period:
 * 0-1 00:22 ARM 13 Manuk Balyan (3) (Aram Deterdaryan) EQ
 * Penalty 00:55 05:55 ARM 5min. 3 APELYAN K - Checking to the head and neck Area
 * Penalty 00:55 60:00 ARM 20min. 3 APELYAN K - Game Misconduct
 * Penalty 02:45 04:45 ARM 2min. 11 ZHAMKOCHYAN P - Roughing
 * Penalty 05:32 07:32 BIH 2min. 16 HASOVIC E - Slashing
 * Penalty 06:39 08:39 ARM 2min. 11 ZHAMKOCHYAN P - Slashing
 * 0-2 07:13 ARM 7 Harutyun Qeshishyan (1) EQ
 * 0-3 08:05 ARM 7 Harutyun Qeshishyan (2) SH1
 * Penalty 08:38 10:38 BIH 2min. 11 MRKVA D - Slashing
 * 0-4 09:19 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (2) (Hakob Avetisyan) PP1
 * GK 09:19 BIH 25 CAPIN A - Goalkeeper in 20 PASOVIC D - Goalkeeper out
 * Penalty 11:26 12:10 BIH 2min. 11 MRKVA D - Cross-Checking
 * 0-5 12:10 ARM PP1 11 Petros Zhamkochyan (2) (Manuk Balyan) PP1
 * Penalty 16:05 18:05 BIH 2min. 23 ARSLANAGIC A - Tripping
 * Penalty 17:21 19:21 BIH 2min. 18 PLEMIC B - Boarding

Second Period:
 * Penalty 20:48 22:48 ARM 2min. 15 MAZMANYAN S - Slashing
 * Penalty 20:56 22:56 BIH 2min. 17 TIKVESA M - Tripping
 * 0-6 21:08 ARM 5 Grikor Demerchyan (1) (Davit Takvoryan) EQ
 * '''0-7 21:31 ARM 5 Grikor Demerchyan (2) (Davit Takvoryan) EQ
 * Penalty 22:36 23:22 BIH 2min. 12 DUGANDZIC Z - Slashing
 * 0-8 23:22 ARM 9 Hakob Avetisyan (1) PP1
 * Penalty 23:51 25:45 ARM 2min. 23 ELMAZYAN J - Boarding
 * Penalty 23:51 25:51 ARM 2min. - Team penalty - Bench Minor Penalty
 * Penalty 24:48 26:20 BIH 2min. 7 VELIC A - Hooking
 * 1-8 25:45 BIH 11 Denis Mrkva (1) 23 (Armin Aslanagic, Bozo Plemic) PP1
 * 1-9 26:20 ARM 16 Karapet Blikyan (1) 23 (Joe Elmazyan) PP1
 * 1-10 33:12 ARM 5 Grikor Demerchyan (3) 9 (Hakob Avetisyan, John Ghazanchyan) EQ
 * GK 33:12 BIH 20 PASOVIC D - Goalkeeper in 25 CAPIN A - Goalkeeper out
 * 1-11 33:26 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (3) EQ
 * Penalty 33:40 34:55 BIH 2min. 9 DZELKIC D - Hooking
 * Penalty 34:24 36:24 BIH 2min. 13 PROLAZ Z - Interference
 * 1-12 34:55 1:12 ARM 10 Artur Khechejyan (2) (Harutyun Qeshishyan, Davit Takvoryan) PP2
 * Goal 37:07 1:13 ARM 9 Hakob Avetisyan (2) (John Ghazanchyan, Grikor Demerchyan) EQ'''
 * Penalty 38:29 40:29 ARM 2min. 15 MAZMANYAN S - Holding

Third period:
 * Penalty 44:49 46:49 ARM 2min. 15 MAZMANYAN S - Elbowing
 * 1-14 46:13 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (4) SH1
 * 1-15 47:23 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (5) (Hakob Avetisyan) EQ
 * 1-16 51:40 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (6) 9 (Hakob Avetisyan, Grikor Demerchyan) EQ
 * 1-17 57:32 ARM 7 Harutyun Qeshishyan (3) 10 (Artur Khechejyan) EQ
 * Penalty 57:54 59:54 ARM 2min. 4 KHACHATRYAN A - Charging
 * 1-18 59:49 ARM 2 John Ghazanchyan (7) (Grikor Demerchyan) SH1

Goaltenders: BIH Ntalimpor Ploutsis L, 1-1-0-0 ; BIH Dino Pasovic L, 1-0-1-0 shots on goal: BIH: 27 ARM: 17 (?)


 * Referee: Thomas Berneker (AUT)
 * Linesmen: Martin Engelhardt (DAN), Artem Korepanov (UKR)
 * Attendence: 250

Final standing
With Armenia's disqualification, the final standing is the following:


 * 1)  Greek National Team                   2 2 0 0
 * 2) 🇧🇦 Bosnian-Herzegovinian National Team   2 1 1 0
 * 3) 🇦🇲 Armenian National Team                2 0 0 0

Greece qualifies for the 2008 DIII World Championship held in Luxembourg.

Top 10 scorers
Excluding the disqualified Armenians

Player                        GP G A PTS PIM +/-
 * 1) Igor Apostolidis           GRE  1 2 3  5   4  +2
 * 2) Ioannis Koufis             GRE  1 2 1  3   4  +1
 * 3) Lazaros Efkarpidis         GRE  1 1 1  2   0  +2
 * 4) Dimitrios Kalyvas          GRE  1 1 1  2  10  +2
 * 5) Muamer Dzamalija           BIH  1 1 0  1   6  -4
 * 6) Georgios Kalyvas           GRE  1 1 0  1  12  +1
 * 7) Athanasios Kesidis         GRE  1 1 0  1   2   0
 * 8) Nikolaos Papadopoulos      GRE  1 1 0  1   2  +3
 * 9) Alexandros Valsamas-Rallis GRE  1 1 0  1   0  +2
 * 10) Emir Barakovac             BIH  1 0 1  1   6  -2

Aftermath
Greece, with its brilliant performance, secured a place in the 2008 DIII World Championship, a win many felt particularly well deserved after having been kept out of international and even domestic competition for over a decade due to the closing of the last arena of the country. The major disappointment comes from the Armenian National Team, that is, once again, involved in controversy and this time disqualified. After the players have been denied access in New Zealand in 2003 and Ireland in 2007 by the local authorities due to visa problems, this year, the disqualification was caused by the Armenians refusing to show their passports on four distinct occasions before Game 1 was underway, which constitutes a violation of an International Ice Hockey Federation rule.