Eisenhower will skate into the state hockey tournament as a league champion. Jason Geiger scored two goals to lead the Eagles to an 8-3 victory over Anchor Bay at Suburban Ice Macomb on Saturday night. The victory in the MAC Red finale left the Eagles with a 6-2 division record, the same as Dakota. But Eisenhower won the championship outright because it earned a point in an overtime loss to the Cougars per an agreement by coaches before the season started “I couldn’t be more proud of the attitude and effort of our boys,” Eisenhower coach Bob Hall said Sunday. Jack Hammond, Jacob Latorella, Jack Guzdioli, Blake Kuczaj, Justin Heileg and Anthony DiLiddo scored a goal apiece against Anchor Bay. Eisenhower started the season 0-6-2 and then won 11 games in a row. “Our boys were humbled and grounded by the slow start to our season,” Hall said. “The changing moment in our season was when the attitude and work ethic of the team changed. “We had a meeting after our first eight games and told the boys we believed in them, but they had to work harder and change their approach to how they practiced and played.” The Eagles took the message to heart, Hall said. “The boys bought in and we saw a total transformation in our players,” the coach said. “Players started playing for each other and didn’t care who scored or received credit. “They just want to win for each other That is what I love about the makeup of our team right now. They’re all in.” Eisenhower (14-9-2) didn’t have much time to relish the championship. The Eagles play Rochester United at 6 p.m. Monday at Suburban Ice Macomb in a Division 1 regional game.

Justin Heileg scored twice as Eisenhower defeated Grosse Pointe South 2-0 in a non-league hockey game at Fraser Hockeyland on Wednesday night

Make it 11 in a row for the Eisenhower hockey team. The Eagles scored two goals in the second period and two in the third in a 4-2 victory over Bay Reps in the MIHL Showcase in Trenton on Saturday. It was the 11th consecutive victory for the Eagles, who haven't lost since a Dec. 15 setback against Houghton.

Hockey fans might do a double-take the first time they see Eisenhower play. The Eagles, known in recent years for scoring in bunches, take a different approach on the ice this season. “We play ugly,” coach Bob Hall said. The Eagles scored 40 goals in six MAC Red games last season. They have 14 through four division games in 2018-19. “This is one of the more defensive teams we’ve had,” Hall said Monday after the Eagles defeated Grosse Pointe South 4-1 in the MAC Showcase. It was Ike’s seventh consecutive victory following a 0-6-2 start. “Our game starts at our goal line and comes out,” Hall said. “We don’t start at the other end and come back. “We’ve had to learn how to play a certain way. We’re not a pretty team.” The Eagles have one of the more effective goalies around in Sal Carabelli, who was named the team MVP for the Grosse Pointe South game at Mount Clemens Ice Arena. “He had a really solid game for us,” Hall said. At any level of hockey, coaches say the goalie has to be the team’s best penalty killer. With Eisenhower, there’s an emphasis on what Carabelli does in all situations. The Eagles rely on him to steer the puck to areas where skaters can collect it and clear the zone. “We need him to eliminate second (scoring) chances and control rebounds,” Hall said. Eisenhower gave up a second-period goal at even strength against Grosse Pointe South. “We’re doing the nitty-gritty things right now,” Hall said. “Our boys are responding. We’ve just got to keep doing it that way.” Eisenhower, the defending MAC Red champion, plays Anchor Bay in a division game at Suburban Ice Macomb at 8:30 p.m. Friday. The Eagles also have upcoming games with Dakota and L’Anse Creuse Unified. Ike trails both of those teams in the standings.

'How we end up' matters to Eisenhower hockey team   Perhaps it was fitting that Eisenhower went overtime to win its most recent hockey game. This season that coach Bob Hall said is about “restructuring” has required patience from a program that is accustomed to success. “We’re working some things out,” Hall said. “We’re in the process of rebuilding.” Jason Geiger scored 39 seconds into overtime to lift the Eagles to a 4-3 victory over L’Anse Creuse Unified at Suburban Ice Macomb on Saturday night. The result gave Eisenhower a 2-1 record in MAC Red Division games. All three of the division contests, including a victory over Romeo and a loss to Red leader Dakota, were decided by one goal. “We’ve got a lot of things that we can build on,” Hall said. Hall likes to break each season into three, eight-game stretches. The Eagles, who are 2-6-2 against a difficult schedule, are in the second third of their slate of games. “In the first eight games, we’re experimenting, trying things,” Hall said.”In the next eight, which is where we are now, we’re starting to put things together so that in the last eight we can make a run.” Joe Borbolla scored two goals and Jared Kraski one for the Eagles against L’Anse Creuse Unified. Sal Carabelli was the winning goalie. “In the first two periods, we played very well,” said Hall, whose team led 3-0 entering the third period. “We did all the little things well.” L’Anse Creuse scored three goals, including a short-handed tally, in the third to force the overtime. “But we found a way to win,” Hall said. Eisenhower has lost to De La Salle, Houghton and Calumet, and the Eagles tied Sault Ste Marie. All of those teams have been ranked in the state Division 3 poll. Dakota is ranked in Division 1. “I wouldn’t base how good we are on our record,” Hall said. “I’d base it on how we end up.” Last season, Eisenhower reached the Division 1 regional finals, where the Eagles lost to Dakota. A strong tournament run in 2019 depends on the likes of Geiger, Borbolla, Jake Latorella, Kraski, Blake Kuczaj, Parm Vyas and Carabelli. “We’ve got some depth,” Hall said. “We have more seniors than juniors, and we have a good group of juniors.” Carabelli made 19 saves against LCU. “He’s a very good hockey player,” Hall said. “Our defense is pretty solid.” Hall, who led Ike to the state quarterfinals in 2016, said the Eagles are adjusting on the fly. “You don’t just put together your best line at the beginning of the season, show up and play everybody, because by the end of the year they will have figured you out,” he said. “You want to mix and match. “The players earn (ice time) in practice. If they show us they can do it in practice, it transfers to the games. Now that we’re in the second section of eight (games), you’ve got to show us what you can do.’ Eisenhower plays at Howell at 7 p.m. Tuesday.