The President of the Armenian Ice Hockey Federation, Vahram Sargsyan, and the founder of the AHL, Petr Lebedev, ceremoniously launched the regular Armenian ice hockey championship for the 2022-2023 season.
"To all ice hockey enthusiasts, we would like to announce the latest news about Armenian ice hockey.
In 2022, the Armenian Ice Hockey Federation, with the support of the Armenian Hockey League (AHL),
restarted the domestic Armenian ice hockey championship.
The President of the Armenian Ice Hockey Federation, Vahram Sargsyan, and the founder of the AHL,
Petr Lebedev, ceremoniously launched the regular Armenian ice hockey championship for the 2022-2023 season.
The Armenian Hockey League was established in 2022 with the backing of the Armenian Ice Hockey Federation.
In close collaboration with the federation, the league has put in considerable effort to revive the domestic ice
hockey championship. This is the first official domestic tournament in Armenia in the past few years.
The Federation and AHL are not only interested in conducting a domestic championship but also in revitalizing
and forming the Armenian national team. They intend to do everything necessary to have the national team regularly
participate in world championships under the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) banner. They are committed
to meeting all the requirements to bring the national team back to the international stage. In 2024, the Armenian
Federation plans to apply to the IIHF for the national team's participation in the 2025 World Championship in Division IV.
Hosting a regular championship is one of the steps in the revival of the national team.
To develop ice hockey in Armenia, the Federation and AHL have established a school where anyone, regardless of
age or gender, can participate. Professional trainers have prepared training programs for each age group, enabling
even novice athletes to reach a high professional level. Currently, over 100 people are attending the hockey school.
At the initial stages, the school provides all the necessary equipment for students free of charge.
Before the start of the regular Armenian championship, AHL organized a draft to form their rosters.
The teams 'Pyunik' and 'Pertsy' welcomed players from the pool of available talent.
In the first season of the Armenian championship, four teams participated:
'Pyunik,' 'Yerevan Lions,' 'Pertsy,' and 'Sharks.' Each team is accredited with the AIHF and complies
with international standards. The number of teams willing to participate in the upcoming AHL seasons is on the rise.
The regular Armenian championship is structured as follows:
Two matches per game round
Round-robin format
A total of 20 matches
Teams in 1st to 4th place advance to the playoffs
In the case of a tie in regulated time, a shootout series is held.
Playoff format:
Two stages: semifinals and finals
Each series is a best-of-three
Semifinal pairings: 1st vs. 4th, 2nd vs. 3rd
In the event of a tie in regulated time, a shootout series is conducted.
For the matches of the regular AHL championship, the league selected the ice arena of the Figure Skating and Hockey School,
which meets the standards for hosting ice hockey matches and tournaments, as well as providing comfortable conditions for
spectators and fans. The regular Armenian championship kicked off on April 2.
The first match of the regular Armenian championship was exciting and high-scoring.
The opening game featured the teams 'Yerevan Lions' and 'Sharks.' The second match,
which was highly emotional and intriguing, was played between 'Pyunik' and 'Pertsy.'
The first games of the tournament were attended by more than 600 people.
All championship matches are broadcast live on YouTube. The first four rounds have already been viewed by over 50,000 viewers."
The "Yerevan Lions" club has won and become the gold medalists of the championship.
In the near future, there are more exciting events and championships planned in life of the Armenian ice hockey.