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When UW head coach Mike Eaves spoke of finding consistency during the first half of the season, he meant a lot of things: the power play, line configurations and the importance of playing a full 60 minutes in back-to-back nights.

What he also meant was improving on defense.

Looking at sheer numbers alone, Wisconsin has done just that. In the first 18 games, the Badgers allowed nearly three goals per game. Since that time, that number has been reduced to just over two. The turnaround has resulted in a five-game unbeaten streak ? the team?s longest of the season.

?That?s something we had hoped would happen,? Eaves said.

To UW goaltender Shane Connelly, it couldn?t be coming together at a better time.

?We haven?t had a streak like this,? he said. ?It?s been maybe get two games, then kind of get into a funk Friday night and then battle back to be .500.

?It?s the most important part of the season, the last stretch here and we?re playing well.?

The reason behind this sudden change has hinged on the fact that at the start of the season Wisconsin had nine new faces to contend with, in addition to Connelly being a first-year starter in net. It took time for the team to grow accustomed to playing with each other and to understand each other?s tendencies.

?The relationship needs time to build,? Connelly said. ?It was my first time being a starter, we have a bunch of new guys back there, a bunch of new guys in the lineup.

?The young guys have amazing talent, it just takes time to grow, to learn their game and to learn the system.?

At first, it was a learning experience. The team, particularly the freshmen, could score. That wasn?t the problem. Wisconsin showed that with a 15-goal effort against Robert Morris the second weekend of the season. And the Badgers showed that when they put up seven on Denver after a call didn?t go their way the night before.

But sometimes the team would get so caught up in scoring that no one would be back to protect Connelly, leading to numerous odd-man rushes for the opposition.

?I think our lack of consistency reflected from our forwards and defensemen back on Shane,? senior defenseman Davis Drewiske said of Connelly, who was giving up a personal worst three goals per game.

Connelly, though, felt like he wasn?t in top form either.

?I?ve taken it upon myself to really step up, to challenge myself and not let any costly goals at bad times,? Connelly said. ?That was kind of the weak part of my first half, those goals at inopportune times that kind of crush our momentum.?

According to Eaves, all Connelly, the freshmen and the entire team needed, for that matter, was some guidance and a lot of experience.

?Sometimes you just can?t teach,? Eaves said. ?You?ve got to walk through the fire to be forged.?

That experience has led to considerable second-half improvement, not only by Connelly, but everyone else as well. Winter break was a huge help.

?History tells us that for freshmen, there?s a big growth spurt in that time off at Christmas since they?re no longer first semester freshmen, and that has proven correct,? Eaves said. ?I think they?re more comfortable with systems, each other and school life and everything. Now they can just come back and play; they don?t have to think as much.?

Another noteworthy element to the improved defensive play has been something that Connelly says is often overlooked: communication.

?That?s a huge part of the game a lot of people don?t know; you have to communicate,? Connelly said. ?I can?t see behind me and the same thing goes for them. If I can let them know what?s going on, it makes everyone?s job easier and we stress that in practice.?

Connelly?s growing maturity on the ice has allowed the young defensemen to learn on the fly and cover up players, or cut off angles that in the first half would have been easy goal-scoring opportunities for the opposition.

?The defense has grown, we?re getting much better, we?re blocking shots, limiting turnovers, defensemen and forwards are getting better,? Connelly said.

But to the junior, good defense will always start with him.

?If I can do my job, then I believe everyone else can do their job and we?ll be fine,? Connelly said.