If you've had a hard time getting a good read on the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team, you're not alone.

The Badgers don't have any distinctive features, nor have they had a singular defining moment this season.

Yet, here they are in the NCAA tournament, two wins on home ice away from reaching the Frozen Four for the 11th time since 1969.

"Offensively, no one's had a tremendous year and no one's been real consistent throughout the whole year," UW junior center and assistant captain Ben Street said.

On one hand, the Badgers enter their NCAA Midwest regional semifinal against Denver Saturday at the Kohl Center with losing record (15-16-7) and a three-game losing streak, both almost unheard of at this stage of the season.

On the other hand, UW played the seventh-toughest schedule in the nation and beat five NCAA tournament teams during the regular season.

On one hand, Street tops the Badgers with 13 goals, the lowest team-leading total since Chuck Kennedy and Tom Obrodovich in 1965-66.

On the other hand, a nine-member freshman class has combined for more than 100 points and rookie center Kyle Turris leads UW in scoring. Both are rarities in the storied history of the program.

These contrasts help explain why one question — Who is the Badgers' MVP? — triggered so many long pauses and one prominent abstention.

"That's a thing we can do at the end, when everything is over," UW coach Mike Eaves said. "I haven't given it any thought."

Talkative sophomore left winger Blake Geoffrion fielded the question with an extended moment of silence.

"I'm thinking," he said.

"I don't know if we have one standout MVP player," freshman winger Patrick Johnson added.

"I couldn't narrow it down to one, to be honest with you," freshman center Sean Dolan said.

On one hand, the longest winning streak of the season for the Badgers is just two games.

On the other hand, UW has come back to win six games and tie seven when trailing.

Eaves declined to identify a list of candidates for the Spike Carlson Award, which has gone to the team MVP since the 1963-64 season.

Twice it has been given to "the Team" during national championship seasons (1976-77 and 1980-81).

The Badgers award game pucks for outstanding play during the season.

"I think we've given out more team game pucks this year than any I can remember," said Eaves, who was a member of that 1976-77 team.

The words of senior defenseman and captain Davis Drewiske carry a lot of weight in the UW dressing room.

He picked Geoffrion for "just doing it all — blocking shots, killing penalities, scoring goals and, energy-wise, being a leader."

Johnson threw out several names before settling on Turris, who's in line to become the fourth rookie to lead the Badgers in scoring (11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points).

"If I had to say anybody, it'll probably be Turris just because of the skill that he has and what he can do with it," Johnson said.

The name mentioned most often was Drewiske, who has a career-high 18 points (four goals, 14 assists) and leads the team in blocked shots and on-ice steadiness.

"He's steady, calm and can just stand up on the bench and change the mood," Street said.

But Drewiske's impact extends well beyond the ice.

"He's kept us together the whole time and he was always there when we needed him," Geoffrion said.

"I really respect a lot what he's done," junior goaltender Shane Connelly said of Drewiske. "He's had a young team and he's had to keep everyone in line. Everyone listens to him when he wants to talk."

Street said you have to look at how the team would fare if you took the MVP candidate out of the mix.

In that context, the answer becomes obvious: Drewiske.

"If you gave guys a couple days to think about it, it would all come back to him," Street said. "He's been the steadiest guy for us."