EV Krems
EV Krems is an ice hockey team based in Krems, Austria. It fields youth teams in the Lower Austrian regional competitions, having last fielded a senior team in the Eliteliga Niederösterreich in 2016-17.
The club was founded in 1949, and played on a natural ice rink until 1963, when an artificial facility opened on Heinemannstrasse. A regular schedule of games and practices began, and KEV secured the Vienna and Lower Austria state championships several times. In 1964, the team won championship games against Klosterneuburg and Stockerau, but suffered defeats against UESC Wien and the then very strong team from Langenzersdorf. On March 6, Wiener EV beat a Lower Austrian state selection 12-1 in Krems.
Krems won the Austrian Landesliga title in 1969-70, and spent the next season in the Austrian Oberliga. After finishing winless, the team returned to the Landesliga for 1971-72. They would go on to dominate the league, finishing 22-0 and scoring 224 goals. In the promotion playoffs, they beat Bruck an der Mur 2-0 and 10-2, and the Western champions Zirl 4-2 and 7-3, securing a spot in the Oberliga for 1972-73.
The team would ascend to the Austrian Nationalliga for 1975-76. In 1979-80, they voluntarily dropped back down to the Regionalliga. The team reached the playoffs against Steyr, Graz, and Rotschitzen, ultimately finishing in third place. Krems struggled between 1983 and 1988. The team was relegated to the weak Regionalliga Ost B and subsequently promoted back to the Regionalliga Gruppe A. Finishing in 3rd or 5th place was the best they could manage. In 1988-89, they won the Regionalliga Ost A.
Krems won the regional league championship in 1995 and 1997. The 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons became largely meaningless from a sporting perspective, due to the change of the Landesliga (regional league) to the Landesliga 2nd Division. Clubs like Tulln, St. Pölten, and Steyr distorted the leagues by signing numerous foreign players, EU citizens, and Viennese players. In 1999-2000, they finished in third place. Krems won the Lower Austrian Championship in 2001 and 2002. In the latter season, Steyr claimed the Lower-Upper Austrian title.
In the 2002-03 season, Krems started poorly, but came alive in the playoffs. After victories over Wels and Tulln, they faced Mödling in the final for the Lower Austrian/Upper Austrian State Championship title. In three exciting matches, the Eagles prevailed, securing their third consecutive Lower Austrian State Championship title. Krems would spend the 2003-04 season in the Oberliga.