ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The one-on-one conversation didn't last long, but it was packed with meaning, emotion and sincerity.

University of Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Eaves pulled senior goaltender Shane Connelly aside Saturday morning and recited the words all struggling competitors crave to hear.

"I want to make sure you know I believe in you," Eaves said.

Connelly responded hours later with one of the loudest statements of his career, a 26-save performance that lifted the Badgers to a 1-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association triumph over St. Cloud State before 6,021 onlookers at the National Hockey Center.

Connelly wasn't the only reason UW took a 6-2 pounding in the series opener, but his name was high on the list of culprits. He essentially scored a shorthanded goal for the Huskies in the first period and allowed a weak conversion on the opening shift of the second.

After Eaves discussed the matter with assistant coaches Mark Osiecki and Kevin Patrick, it was decided that instead of starting sophomore backup Scott Gudmandson, Connelly would get a chance at redemption.

"We felt that we needed to put the ball in his hands again,"  Eaves said of Connelly. "Just like the rest of the team, we wanted to give him an opportunity to respond."

Connelly did so with his sixth career shutout — his first 1-0 affair — that improved his season record (4-4-2) and career mark (26-26-9) to .500.

"Good closure for me," he said.

The Badgers (5-7-2 overall, 5-5-2 in the WCHA) bounced back from one of their worst overall performances with one that might well be a turning point. They came out and pelted St. Cloud State goaltender Jase Weslosky with 40 shots — 18 in the first period — and played a smart, simple, relentless game in all three zones.

The only goal of the night epitomized that approach.

Junior center Andy Bohmbach won the draw in the left circle, which led to a shot from the point by freshman defenseman Jake Gardiner.

Weslosky made the initial save, but left a rebound in the slot. Freshman right winger Jordy Murray drove the net and got enough of the puck to chip it over Weslosky's glove and into the cage 1:38 into the third.

"I don't know how I got it in the air, but it worked out," Murray said.

A major key to the outcome was that UW killed off all seven power plays for the Huskies, whose units are as snakebit (1-for-45 in league play) as they are dangerous. One of those kills came in the final 4 minutes, 16 seconds.

"Much to our demise, we've had a lot of practice," Eaves said, referencing the fact the Badgers are the most penalized team in the nation. "I wouldn't want to keep tempting fate with that power play."

The Huskies (8-5, 3-4) had some great chances in the second and third periods — they hit one pipe and had nine shots from below the hash marks — but couldn't solve Connelly.

"Big bounce-back game for him," Murray said.

"We needed (Connelly) to come up big and he did," Gardiner said.

"You knew Wisconsin was going to come out and play hard, and they did," St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko said. "We took the first period off. Our goalie gave us a chance."