Call it shock therapy.

After then-No. 6 Boston University gouged then-No. 5 Michigan for five power-play goals Saturday, the coaching staff has pulled out the defibrillator to revive the Wolverine penalty kill.

A week after focusing on a power-play unit that went just 1-31 in its first four games, the Wolverines, now ranked eighth in the country, started this week working on killing off shorthanded situations.

“If we hadn’t played the BU game, I don’t think I’d sit here and say I was alarmed by anything because we’ve been close to the mark in most of our games,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “But that was the game we took a big step back in.”

The penalty kill is just the one of the problems exposed against the Terriers, but it's the point of most concern.

Two of the biggest problems have been the stick placement and turnovers deep in Michigan's own zone.

“We’re struggling for some consistency,” Berenson said. “You can’t say that Michigan’s got a great power play, or Michigan’s a great offensive team or Michigan is a team that will outwork you to a fault. We’re still struggling to get our feet on the ground and get our team going on a day-to-day basis.”

The Wolverines have given up eight power-play goals this season, and have scored just five on the man advantage.

The loss was a wake-up call for a team that has fallen into a rut of giving up an early lead, surrendering the first goal in four of its six games this year.

“We’re a team that recognizes that we’re going to have to battle for 60 minutes for a chance to win these games no matter who we’re playing,” assistant coach Billy Powers said. “If we’re not ready to play some of the elite opponents, then what happens Saturday can happen.”

Switching wingers: After the Wolverines' sluggish effort against Boston University, it isn’t surprising that Berenson made some changes to his line chart.

But his switching of right wingers on the top two lines come as a surprise given the top line's two-goal performance Thursday against Niagara.

Berenson swapped senior forward Travis Turnbull with sophomore Aaron Palushaj to give Michigan a different look on its scoring lines going into this weekend.

Turnbull will play with sophomores Carl Hagelin and Matt Rust. Palushaj will play with senior Tim Miller and sophomore Louie Caporusso

Palushaj, the Wolverines' point leader (10), has scored five goals, tied for best on the team with Caporusso.

“We weren’t happy with our games last weekend, so sometimes you have to switch it up,” Turnbull said.

The team is looking to spark an offense that mustered just 17 shots against the Terriers on Saturday.

Injury Update: Two and a half weeks after senior captain Mark Mitera suffered a devastating knee injury against St. Lawrence, Mitera and his family still haven't decided whether he will have surgery.

Berenson said he suspects the Livonia native will ultimately opt for the surgery. He didn't say if Mitera would return to the team before the end of the season.

“I think they’re looking at the swelling and looking at how tender the outside ligament is,” Berenson said. “I’m thinking they’re going to end up doing the surgery, I think its just a matter of announcing when they’re going to do it.”

Freshman Brandon Burlon skated before yesterday's practice for the first time in three weeks. The freshman suffered an ankle injury in practice, and has been restricted to off ice rehabilitation. Though Burlon didn't participate in yesterday’s drills, there's a small chance that he will play against Ohio State this weekend.

“It’s still tender, which it will be,” Berenson said. “It’s just a matter of when he can put his weight on it and pivot and skate backwards and then take hits.”

Disqualified: Junior forward Brian Lebler is not eligible to play in Friday’s game after receiving a game disqualification in the waning seconds of Saturday’s loss.

Lebler and BU’s Vinny Saponari fought with 22 seconds left in the game and the Terriers up 7-2. Both players were disqualified and received fighting majors.