Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves was drilled by the media at the Badgers’ weekly press conference on Monday. There is a video of it on the Badgers’ website.

So what is wrong with your team? He implied his team may have lost its confidence. “Confidence is one of those elusive things,” Eaves said. Then he talked about tennis player Martina Navratilova’s view on the subject before returning to his own team. He said it can get its mo jo back by practicing the way it needs to play. Prepare well, play well.

He said his young defensemen have done well offensively, but need to improve on how they play away from the puck. Eaves sat junior defenseman Jamie McBain, one of his best veterans, late in the first period of Saturday’s 7-4 loss at Denver as “a little wake-up call.” To McBain and maybe others, too.

But his players also did some things well. “We blocked 22 shots on Friday and 19 on Saturday,” Eaves said, “and Denver did not get a power play goal on Saturday.”

He said after four losses, maybe playing at home in front of a big crowd and against a great opponent (the Gophers) might help his team. “We are 0-4, not where we want to be,” he said, “and the only way to go is up.”

He said the rivalry between the Gophers and Wisconsin is probably not as intense as when he played for the Badgers. He remembers his first trip to Mariucci, thinking, “I have never seen such a competitive and fierce rivalry. I thought, ‘Wow, this is very serious.’ ”

Eaves played for the Badgers from 1974-78 and was a two-time, first team All-America pick as a junior and senior.

“There still is a lot of pride there and we have some Minnesota kids,” Eaves said.

Eight to be exact.

McBain and freshman forward Jordy Murray are from Faribault. They played at Shattuck-St. Mary’s.

 Junior forward Aaron Bendickson is from Thief River Falls.

Senior forward Tom Gorowsky is from Lino Lakes (Centennial H.S.).

Sophomore defenseman Ryan McDonaght is from Arden Hills and Chris Hickey from St. Paul. Both played at Cretin-Derham Hall).

Freshman defenseman Jake Gardiner is from Minnetonka.

Freshman forward Derek Stepan is from Hastings.

 A capsule look at the Badgers:

Wisconsin Badgers

2007-08 record: 16-17-5, 11-12-5 (sixth)

Coach: Mike Eaves, seventh season, 123-99-30

Projected finish: Fourth, tied with the Gophers

Key players: D Jamie McBain, jr.; G Shane Connelly, sr.; F Blake Geoffrion, jr.; D Ryan McDonagh, so.

Key losses: F Kyle Turris, fr. last season, signed with Phoenix; D Dave Drewiske; D Kyle Klubertanz.

Outlook: Turris (11-24-35) led the Badgers in scoring last season but is gone. Now senior forward and co-captain Ben Street (13-17-30) is out for at least three months with a knee injury suffered Saturday. That leaves Geoffrion (10-20-30), McBain (5-19-24) and sophmore forward Patrick Johnson (8-13-21) as the top returning scorers. Others have to step up, too. The Badgers’ defensemen are young but talented and among them are two first-round NHL draft picks from Minnesota, sophomore Ryan McDonagh and freshman Jake Gardiner. Senior Shane Connelly is a veteran goalie. He had a 2.44 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage last season in 37 games. The Badgers need to adjust to two referees calling the game tougher; they took 22 penalties in two losses at Denver last weekend.

Statistically: The Badgers were fourth on the power play (17.3 percent) but last on the penalty kill (81.6) last season among WCHA teams. Against DU, they gave up three power play goals the first night, but none the second. The Pioneers were 3 for 17 on the power play, Wisconsin 4 for 16.

This series: The Gophers lead the all-time series 149-79-17. Minnesota won the first game 3-0 on Jan. 15, 1922 and, in the last 10, holds a 5-3-2 edge. Last season the teams met four times in a month. In Madison on Jan. 25-26, the Badgers won the first game 3-1 on goals by McDonagh, Turris and Street. The second night, Wisconsin rallied from two goals down for a 2-2 tie. At Mariucci on Feb. 22-23, the Gophers won 4-2 the first night, then tied 4-4 the second. Junior wing Jay Barriball, who had only six goals all season, scored a goal each game in this series. … Minnesota-Wisconsin will meet again on Feb. 6-7 at Mariucci.

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