[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Numerically, the numbers representing the slump are dauntingly similar.

One year ago, the Badgers started the season 20-6-1 before winning just once in their final nine games heading into the playoffs.

Fast-forward to today, where, after being swept by Minnesota State this weekend, the Badgers are now 3-7-1 in their last 11 games after starting the season losing only twice in their first 22 contests.

After Saturday's 7-3 upset drubbing, UW head coach Mike Eaves acknowledged that his team is floundering a bit, but also made it clear that despite this being the third-straight year involving a second-half slump, this year's situation is different.

"It's a different scenario. We lost our starting goaltender; we get him back. Have we done some things different this year? Absolutely," Eaves said. "We've backed off on Mondays, we've created rec days. When people say, 'Same old, same old,' I don't think they're on the inside knowing what's going on."

At his Monday news conference, the fourth-year head coach further addressed what needs to be done to pull his team out of a slump, including a small change in the practice schedule this week.

"Today is a day that we would normally leave to the men to have a recreational day, but based on where we're at right now, we need to get back to some fundamentals and some basics, so we'll get back to that type of practice today," Eaves said.

At the same time, Eaves is not planning on pushing the players too much harder during those practices. But that doesn't mean they won't be pushing themselves.

Following a 20-minute players-only meeting subsequent to Saturday's defeat, the Badgers acknowledged they have to get back to practicing harder. While they may have led some to believe that the coaching staff wasn't pushing them enough, they were more adamant about how it was their responsibility to work harder, especially at drills that they began to take for granted.

"I think guys are trying to find answers too. So they're looking at each other," Eaves said. "Good for them that they had a team meeting … but at the same time … we just need to go back to some square-one things. We'll go back and primarily do the same things we've done."

Getting Elliott back: There's no question that the loss of Elliott to injury six weeks ago hurt the Badgers. But getting him back in the lineup may have been just as altering to the Badgers.

"When we became the 18-2-2 team that we were … we had a young goaltender who developed himself into one of the top players in the country. And our team fed off that. … He gave us confidence to play in front of him," Eaves said. "With Brian getting hurt, that was a change for us. And now, with Brian coming back and maybe not being where he [was], I see guys getting caught in between."

While getting him back has prompted yet another change, Eaves also said his team isn't hitting the panic button.

"I don't think [panic] has set in," he said. "There [were] times when we had systems breakdowns before, and who was there for them? Brian. And that allowed them to make mistakes … and now they're in between."

Eaves also confirmed that Elliott is, if not at 100 percent healthy, he is very close, and that Eaves suspects the junior will start Friday when Wisconsin opens its regular season finale against St. Cloud State.

"I think it's just mentally believing and knowing he can stop the puck," Eaves said. "When you stop the puck it builds your confidence level up. That's what he's got to do this week in practice and then carry that into this week in practice."

UW's ranking drops: The weekend sweep dropped Wisconsin, which was No. 2 in USCHO.com's national rankings last week, into a tie for the No. 5 spot in the most recent poll.

In the PairWise rankings, the Badgers clung to the No. 2 spot.

"I'm not a numbers guy, either," Eaves said. "I'm trying to work on daily practices and figuring out where guys are at emotionally, mentally and physically. Those are things that we can control."

Minnesota carried the No. 1 ranking again this week, earning all but two of the No. 1 votes.

The Gophers are followed by Miami (Ohio), Boston University and Michigan State, while Colorado College will share the fifth spot with UW this week.

Eaves feels that, whether Elliott can return to his prior form or not, the Badgers can find their way back and achieve their ultimate goal of a national championship as the season winds down.

"I think that if everybody chips in, if everybody gets better in all areas of their game, then that would perhaps [pull us through]," Eaves said. "If [Elliott] gets back to a certain level and our defense and forwards play a little higher level, knowing where Brian's at, then that will all help."