For proven scorers like Louie Caporusso, Matt Rust and Carl Hagelin, the pressure to net pucks this season is on.

But with the spotlight shining on the three seniors who led the Michigan hockey team in goals last season, two Wolverines — junior left wing David Wohlberg and senior left wing Scooter Vaughan — have quietly but quickly stated their own cases as offensive threats this season.

Wohlberg and Vaughan currently lead No. 4 Michigan in scoring, with four lamplighters and one assist each. Both Vaughan and Wohlberg have had to quick starts in 2010, and their recent offensive spark has been a key boost for the Wolverines.

“I really think that’s essential (to get off to a good start),” Wohlberg said. "It builds confidence."

Wohlberg has spent most of this season playing left wing on a line with Caporusso and junior right wing Luke Glendening. But after Michigan (2-0-0 CCHA, 3-1-2 overall) dropped the series opener to No. 10 Nebraska-Omaha on Friday, Michigan coach Red Berenson shook up the lines, moving Wohlberg to play with Rust and sophomore right wing Chris Brown on the top line.

The move paid off, as Wohlberg scored the fastest goal in recorded Wolverine history on Saturday against Nebraska-Omaha (2-0-0 WCHA, 5-1-0 overall). Just eight seconds into the first period, Wohlberg’s shot found the net after the puck deflected off a Maverick defender from Rust’s faceoff win. The goal was a critical first score and set the tone for the second game of the series.

But even in Friday’s game, in which the Wolverines had trouble sustaining any offensive pressure in the Nebraska-Omaha zone, Wohlberg managed to find the net with five minutes remaining in the third period.

His goal on Friday came one minute after sophomore right wing Kevin Lynch scored the first Wolverine goal of the game. Wohlberg’s score in game one cut the Maverick lead in half, and his success visibly carried over into the beginning of Saturday’s contest.

Berenson said Wohlberg’s goal in the second game to put Michigan on the board early was “an important goal … no matter when it went in.”

“Good for Wohlberg,” Berenson said on Saturday. “Shooting the puck, he gave us a good start and I thought he had another strong game tonight.”

While Wohlberg’s name will be in the record books for his quick goal, Vaughan had a noteworthy Saturday night as well. For the first time in his Michigan career, the senior scored twice in one game.

With four goals through six games this season, Vaughan has doubled his previous career total — he finished last season with only two total goals on the year. Vaughan spent his first two years playing defense, but the forward-convert is finding his shot early this season.

“I’m just working hard, just trying to get pucks to the net,” Vaughan said after Saturday’s win. “That’s what you’ve got to do to score. You’re not going to score if you don’t shoot. Just shooting the puck into the net, and a good breakup pass went out from the defense and my line-mates really helped me out.”

Vaughan scored a power play goal for Michigan just eight minutes into the Wolverines road contest at then-No. 9 New Hampshire last Saturday. At 6-foot, one-inch, Vaughan has been using his size to penetrate opposing defenses, and it’s a good sign for the Wolverines that he is finding success going to the net against top-ranked teams.

Hagelin scored his first non-empty net goal of the season on Saturday and Rust and Caporusso both have two goals to their names.

But on nights when they’re not finding the net as easily — or even when they are — Vaughan and Wohlberg have shown just how potent and deep this Michigan offense can be.