HK Acroni Jesenice HK Acroni Jesenice is a Slovenia n ice hockey team that currently plays in the Austrian Erste Bank Hockey League . They play their home games at Dvorana Podmežakla in Jesenice . History . Before World War 2 . Roots of hockey in Jesenice go back to pre World War 2 when enthusiasts started skating on a natural ice surface ( these days it ' s a soccer field very near the hockey arena ) . The name of Karlo Vergles is being mentioned most often with regards to these ice hockey beginnings . In the season of 1940 / 41 the first amateur team was assembled with simple equipment mostly made in the local steel and iron factory ( which is still the main sponsor today ) . Despite that Jesenice team lost their first game to Zagreb with only one goal . After World War 2 . After World War 2 ice hockey returned to the sports park Podmežakla . And the start wasn ' t easy . Other clubs had years of tradition to count on and the Jesenice team had a hard time getting matches . Therefore in 1948 an ice - hockey / skating section was formed in the local sport society under the leadership of Drago Cerar . Other people involved included : France Božič , Mitja Verovšek , Vinko Čižman , Pavle Hafner , Milan Marolt and others . This year was also important for the fact that it was the first time Jesenice played in a real tournament against Maribor , Brežice and Celje . Somewhat surprisingly ( although not by score ) Jesenice team won the tournament . Development of hockey continued in Jesenice in the following years with the opening of the artificial ice - hockey surface in 1954 which was the first in former Yugoslavia . This also included a spectator area . In 1956 Jesenice team hired a hockey coach from former Czechoslovakia Zdenek Blaha . This started the jesenice ice - hockey rise . In the 1956 / 57 season Jesenice won the Yugoslav championship against far more known teams from Ljubljana and Belgrade . The Golden Age . After winning the 1957 championship Jesenice completely dominated the Yugoslav ice - hockey winning 15 consecutive championship titles . Most coaches in this period were foreign coming from former Czechoslovakia . Notable players in this period include : Albin Felc , Dušan Brun , Bogo Jan , Ciril Klinar , Viktor Tišler , Vlado Jug , Gorazd Hiti , Franc Smolej , Rudi Knez and others . Before Slovenian Independence . After 1971 season the Yugoslav championship was more or less divided equally between Jesenice and Ljubljana . Jesenice won in 73 , 77 , 78 , 81 , 82 , 85 , 87 and for the last time in former Yugoslavia in 1988 . Jesenice also won the 1974 championship but this was later taken away from them by the ice - hockey federation . Notable about this period is that the majority of players came from Jesenice or neighboring cities , a trait for which the Jesenice team is still known today . After Slovenian Independence . First years after the Slovenian independence were again dominated by the Jesenice team . Alongside good local players the team was reinforced by some excellent players from former Soviet Union under the coaching of Vladimir Krikunov . This resulted in three consecutive championship titles . However financial and staff problems brought the team to the brink of collapse . The peak of these troubles was the exclusion of Jesenice team from the Slovenian championships in 1988 / 89 season . It took a couple of years for Jesenice to bounce back and in 2004 / 05 season with the arrival of four players from Olimpija ( Ljubljana ) and most local players once again playing for their home team Jesenice won the championship once again . This was continued with further good play in one of the International Hockey Leagues ( including one championship title ) and one more national championship title . As a recognition of their quality in 2006 Jesenice was invited as first non - Austrian team to play in the ( now ) expanded Austrian ice - hockey championships . Currently Jesenice still plays in this league , but has also won three more Slovenian titles in 2008 , 2009 , and 2010 .