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A remarkable November has the Wisconsin men’s hockey team back at .500 following a slow start. After going 7-1-1 since Nov. 1, the Badgers have gained the ground they lost early on. But according to head coach Mike Eaves, a balanced team effort that has done the job.

“I think if you took a look at all the players, they’ve all elevated their level of play,” Eaves said in his press conference Monday. “We were fiddling around with chemistry, and we found some of that chemistry. And so by doing that, it’s helped raise our level.”

Eaves did note the improved play of goaltender Shane Connelly. The senior netminder surrendered 11 goals in his first two games of the season. Over the past three games, however, Connelly has allowed just one goal while shutting out two potent offenses in St. Cloud State and Michigan.

“If you wanted to highlight some, I think that you could start right between the pipes with Shane,” Eaves said. “I think that his level of consistency has grown, which gives us a good chance to win.”

Offensively, there hasn’t been one Badger carrying the scoring load for Eaves’ squad. Three players have recorded 10 points or more — Jamie McBain with 16, Brendan Smith with 12 and Blake Geoffrion with 10 — but unlike last season when Kyle Turris was looked at as the top offensive threat, this year’s team doesn’t have a go-to scorer.

And Eaves is perfectly fine with that.

“You don’t know who to focus on. You don’t know who to put your checking line against, or it’s tough to play against a team where every line can go out and chip in offensively and be pretty responsible without the puck,” Eaves said. “So from that aspect, that’s probably the biggest challenge is who do you focus on as you get ready to play for the week.”

Thrown into the discussion of Wisconsin’s balance this season is the team’s fourth line, which has often changed from night to night. Junior Aaron Bendickson, freshman Chris Hickey, sophomore Podge Turnbull and junior Michael Davies have all seen time on that line as of late, and all are giving Eaves what he’s been looking for.

“You talk about how do you play against a faceless or a starless lineup. Heck, you could throw a blanket over all our guys,” Eaves said. “When you describe our forward lines that we have, they’re all very similar. We want them to do the same things. We want them to play with energy. We want them to be responsible without the puck. We want them to chip in offensively. They can all do those things.”

Much-needed rest in sight

The Badgers have yet to have a weekend off since the season began Oct. 1. After this weekend’s home series against Alaska Anchorage — the team’s ninth series of the year — Wisconsin will finally get some time off before resuming play Dec. 27.

All the wear and tear his team has been going through has caused Eaves to approach this weekend a bit differently.

“I think as a coaching staff, we’re trying to be prudent about what we’re doing this week … to make sure that they stay focused and fresh for this finish line run,” Eaves said.

As nice as the break will be for the Badgers, Eaves knows there’s still half the season to play when they pick back up at the end of the month.

“We still have a lot to play for in terms of the national picture and rankings and such,” Eaves said. “So for us to go, ‘Whew, we finally made it,’ is so far from what any of us are thinking about, because we have to continue to win to get our RPI up so that we are in the national picture again.”