HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem
Encyclopedia
HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi is an ice hockey
team in the Czech First League (1. národní hokejová liga
) (the second division). Their home arena is Zlatopramen Arena
in Ústí nad Labem
. Before 2007, the team was known as HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem.
dates back to the end of the Second World War. In 1945 a group of enthusiastic people got together and with Jaroslav Kropáč as a leading figure they founded in 1946 hockey club Sokol Ústí nad Labem.
After couple of months they took their cue from namesake in Prague
and founded LTC (1946 – 1948). They entered West north group of winter sports and started to play in competitions regularly.
In the following years (1949 – 1959) the club changed its name to ZSJ Armaturka. In 1959 the club changed its owner and subsequently its name to TJ Chemička and played under this name until 1963. However, in this year the chemical company closed the hockey club for financial difficulties. After numerous meeting with the city representatives it was decided not to allow the end of hockey playing in the city. At that time TJ Slovan National Board came with the solution to run hockey club as their main field of activities. The hockey club was then handed in to chairman JUDr. Oldřich Rejna, who stayed in this position for another 23 years.
In 1966 the team won TJ Slovan qualification to get to the second league, in which they played until 1972. After the season 1971/72 there was a change in the organisational structure of the whole competition. The First National League was created. So the club had to undertake very demanding hockey qualification to be admitted to the First National Hockey League. The team was very successful and reached 2nd place out of 10, only one point after Slezan Opava. Since then the team used to be on the top positions of the whole competition.
In season 1979/80 the team won by 7 points in the A team of First National Hockey League but in qualification to get to Extra League the team lost with TJ Gottwaldov
. In the following season Slovan
won in its group again but didn’t reach any further when in the final got into the 3rd place out of 10 (2nd Zetor, 1st Ingstav Brno).
Since the season 1986/87 hockey in Ústí started to get into a crisis. In that year Slovan managed to survive when the team ended up on the one but last place, however the following year it went down to 2nd league. In the season 1988/89 the team won by 16 points in its group and nobody doubted about the return to the 1st league. However, Slovan didn’t manage to take its chance and stayed in the 2nd league. Only in 1993 the club returned to the 1st league.
The season 1993/94 has been the most successful one in club's history. Slovan reached 5th place and then in quarter-final of play off the team eliminated Opava
with the score 3:1 in matches and only in semi-final Slovan was stopped by HC Vsetín which with mastery got into the Extraliga.
After the season 1997/98 the club was forced to sell the competition thanks to big financial problems to KLH Chomutov
and in the following year the club just managed to stay in its group and not to fall to regional championship.
. And in the following season the club ended up even on 12th place in 2nd league. Since then the club has been improving and even got to Extra League in season 2007/8, albeit for one year, being relegated back to the second division
at the end of the season.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in the Czech First League (1. národní hokejová liga
1. národní hokejová liga
The 1. národní hokejová liga is the second-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic under the Extraliga. It began in 1993.-Format in 2008-09 season:...
) (the second division). Their home arena is Zlatopramen Arena
Zlatopramen Arena
Zlatopramen Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. The capacity of the arena is 6,500 people and was built in 2004. It is currently home to the HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem ice hockey team.-External links:*...
in Ústí nad Labem
Ústí nad Labem
Ústí nad Labem is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. The city is the 7th-most populous in the country.Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and the Elbe Rivers, and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction...
. Before 2007, the team was known as HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem.
History
The beginning of ice hockey in Ústí nad LabemÚstí nad Labem
Ústí nad Labem is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region. The city is the 7th-most populous in the country.Ústí is situated in a mountainous district at the confluence of the Bílina and the Elbe Rivers, and, besides being an active river port, is an important railway junction...
dates back to the end of the Second World War. In 1945 a group of enthusiastic people got together and with Jaroslav Kropáč as a leading figure they founded in 1946 hockey club Sokol Ústí nad Labem.
After couple of months they took their cue from namesake in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and founded LTC (1946 – 1948). They entered West north group of winter sports and started to play in competitions regularly.
In the following years (1949 – 1959) the club changed its name to ZSJ Armaturka. In 1959 the club changed its owner and subsequently its name to TJ Chemička and played under this name until 1963. However, in this year the chemical company closed the hockey club for financial difficulties. After numerous meeting with the city representatives it was decided not to allow the end of hockey playing in the city. At that time TJ Slovan National Board came with the solution to run hockey club as their main field of activities. The hockey club was then handed in to chairman JUDr. Oldřich Rejna, who stayed in this position for another 23 years.
In 1966 the team won TJ Slovan qualification to get to the second league, in which they played until 1972. After the season 1971/72 there was a change in the organisational structure of the whole competition. The First National League was created. So the club had to undertake very demanding hockey qualification to be admitted to the First National Hockey League. The team was very successful and reached 2nd place out of 10, only one point after Slezan Opava. Since then the team used to be on the top positions of the whole competition.
In season 1979/80 the team won by 7 points in the A team of First National Hockey League but in qualification to get to Extra League the team lost with TJ Gottwaldov
TJ Gottwaldov
TJ Gottwaldov is the outdated name of two Czech sport clubs from Zlín:*FC Tescoma Zlín - football club*RI OKNA Zlín - ice hockey team...
. In the following season Slovan
Slovan
Slovan, meaning "Slav" in English, may refer to one of the following sports teams:*FC Slovan Liberec, Czech football club*HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi, Czech ice-hockey club*ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Slovak football club*HC Slovan Bratislava, Slovak ice-hockey club...
won in its group again but didn’t reach any further when in the final got into the 3rd place out of 10 (2nd Zetor, 1st Ingstav Brno).
Since the season 1986/87 hockey in Ústí started to get into a crisis. In that year Slovan managed to survive when the team ended up on the one but last place, however the following year it went down to 2nd league. In the season 1988/89 the team won by 16 points in its group and nobody doubted about the return to the 1st league. However, Slovan didn’t manage to take its chance and stayed in the 2nd league. Only in 1993 the club returned to the 1st league.
The season 1993/94 has been the most successful one in club's history. Slovan reached 5th place and then in quarter-final of play off the team eliminated Opava
Opava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
with the score 3:1 in matches and only in semi-final Slovan was stopped by HC Vsetín which with mastery got into the Extraliga.
After the season 1997/98 the club was forced to sell the competition thanks to big financial problems to KLH Chomutov
KLH Chomutov
Piráti Chomutov is an ice hockey team in the First National Hockey League from Chomutov.The club was established in 1945, in the 1950/1951 season it was promoted to the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League, where it played until 1963/1964 season. In 1967 the team was promoted to the highest league...
and in the following year the club just managed to stay in its group and not to fall to regional championship.
Modern history – HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi
It took 10 years for the hockey players from HC Slovan to get from the bottom and the worst hockey team among the top hockey players. In 1997 economically exhausted club sold the rights for the 1st league to KLH ChomutovKLH Chomutov
Piráti Chomutov is an ice hockey team in the First National Hockey League from Chomutov.The club was established in 1945, in the 1950/1951 season it was promoted to the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League, where it played until 1963/1964 season. In 1967 the team was promoted to the highest league...
. And in the following season the club ended up even on 12th place in 2nd league. Since then the club has been improving and even got to Extra League in season 2007/8, albeit for one year, being relegated back to the second division
1. národní hokejová liga
The 1. národní hokejová liga is the second-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic under the Extraliga. It began in 1993.-Format in 2008-09 season:...
at the end of the season.