MARQUETTE — While No. 10 Michigan hockey team has received some streaky secondary scoring from a variety of players, it has been senior forward Carl Hagelin leading the way offensively for the Wolverines.

But in the Wolverines' regular-season series finale against Northern Michigan, Michigan finally found their offense firing on all cylinders, giving Hagelin some support as the offense scored one power-play goal and eight goals total to sweep the Wildcats and earn their 11th CCHA conference title.

Michigan defeated the Wildcats 3-2 on Friday before routing them on the road, 5-0, on Saturday.

“We played one of our better games all year (on Saturday) and we really stuck with it,” Hagelin said. “We haven’t played great any weekend really but we’ve found ways to win. Right now, for us, it’s just a great feeling.”

On Friday night, the Wolverines (20-7-1-0 CCHA, 23-9-4 overall) found themselves in a familiar position, though it wasn’t one they wanted to be in. After jumping out to an early lead on freshman defenseman Mac Bennett’s second goal of the season, the Wolverines had to battle to get into any sort of rhythm on the Olympic-sized ice.

Junior forward David Wohlberg put Michigan ahead by two late in the first period when sophomore forward Lindsay Sparks sent a pass to Wohlberg who was between the circles and scored on a deflection off a Western Michigan defenseman.

But the Wildcats (12-13-3-0, 14-17-5) gave Michigan a fight on Friday, as they scored just under three minutes into the second period to cut the Wolverine lead in half. Sophomore forward Chris Brown’s one-timer off the faceoff that beat the Wildcat netminder proved to be the game winner for Michigan. The 3-2 victory was the fifth time in the last seven games that the Wolverines had to squeak out a win by a one-goal margin.

“We've been (a strong) defensive team,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said. “And our goalkeeping has been rock-solid. We’re in a lot of close games night after night and this team has found a way to hang in there and get it done, so good for them.”

On Saturday, still one point behind conference-leading Notre Dame, the big guns showed up in full-force. Needing some production from upperclassmen and proven leaders, Michigan got just what it was asking for.

Hagelin got the Wolverines off the quick start as he scored his second power-play goal in three games just seven minutes into the first period. Michigan played with the one-goal lead through the first period and until senior forward Matt Rust found the back of the net for his fifth goal this season, and first in over a month. Rust finished the night with a goal and two assists — a solid offensive night for the power forward.

“It’s great (to see him score),” senior netminder Shawn Hunwick said. “Rusty’s confidence might have been a little bit low, but I think after this weekend, he can be pretty excited.”

Junior forward Luke Glendening, Wohlberg, and Hagelin would also find the net on Saturday, to give the Wolverines some much-needed insurance goals as the clock ticked down in Marquette — and also in South Bend —where the Wolverines needed a Notre Dame loss or shootout to win the CCHA title outright.

Perhaps the only negative aspect of the weekend for Michigan was senior forward Louie Caporusso going down in the third period of Friday's game with what Berenson called a "lower-body injury. Caporusso didn't dress for the game on Saturday.

As the minutes expired in Marquette on Saturday, the Wolverines rushed out to celebrate with senior netminder Bryan Hogan, who was put in net the last few minutes of the game.

“I think our team came out hard, like they really wanted to have a good game and they knew they could play better than they played last night,” Berenson said. “We got a break on Carl’s first power play goal, and then it was a one-goal game for most of the game.

“We had the attitude in the locker room that this could be the final score, so we had to be able to play with that lead. I thought our team did a good job of it, especially in the second period. We only gave up two shots and we started to play more in their zone. I thought we controlled the puck, started to play stronger, and our team got better as the game went on.”

With a first-round bye in the CCHA Tournament next weekend, the Wolverines will look ahead to prepare for their opponent in the second round.