The first 32 minutes of play in Saturday night’s 6-1 victory over Ohio State revealed what might be the most important key to success this season for the No. 8 Michigan hockey team as the Wolverines try to replace last year’s entire top line: scoring depth.

By the 8:00 mark of the second period, five different Wolverines had scored. Sophomore forward Aaron Palushaj’s power-play goal from the left circle 12 minutes into the second frame extended Michigan’s lead to 5-0.

But the Wolverines had essentially sealed the game and the weekend series sweep two minutes before the goal, Palushaj’s seventh of the season.

Midway through the second frame, sophomore defenseman Chad Langlais forced a turnover in Michigan's zone and began streaking down the left boards as the Wolverines created a three-on-two odd man rush. Langlais then found senior forward Travis Turnbull all alone in the slot. Turnbull’s wrist shot beat Buckeye freshman goalie Cal Heeter stick-side for the 4-0 lead.

One week after winning his first career start at Denver, Heeter skated back to the Ohio State bench, his head sunken into his chest as the Yost Ice Arena crowd showered him with verbal abuse. Perhaps an inexperienced goaltender was just what the Wolverines’ offense needed to find their rhythm.

Searching for stronger on-ice chemistry, Michigan coach Red Berenson debuted a new top line of Palushaj, sophomore forward Louie Caporusso and senior forward Tim Miller on Friday. The trio gave Berenson plenty of incentives to keep the line together, combining for a 7-6-13 line on the weekend.

Caporusso netted his seventh and eighth goals of the season on Saturday, both of them power-play tallies from the bottom of the right circle. Miller scored a goal in each of this weekend’s games, both from crashing the net.

Berenson said multiple times last week that Palushaj will play well no matter who his linemates are, and the Northville native’s four-point weekend illustrated as much. And no matter how they get the puck, Palushaj and Caporusso have two of the best shots on the team.

“(Louie’s) in the right place at the right time,” Berenson said. “Several of his goals have been rebounds and loose pucks. You saw a little bit of everything tonight.”

Both Berenson and Caporusso said the Wolverines gave their best effort of the season Saturday night. But Caporusso indicated that Ohio State’s lack of intensity was also a big reason the score became so lopsided.

“I think when the score is 6-1, (points) don’t mean as much," Caporusso said Saturday when asked about the spread-out scoring. "(Ohio State) wasn’t exactly playing to their potential. It’s good for guys who were able to get a couple of points and get a bunch of confidence, but you’ve got to be ready for the next game.”

Indeed, the Buckeyes played a more competitive game in the Wolverines’ 4-3 victory Friday night. While the game was tied at three after two periods, Ohio State dominated the first 40 minutes of play. The Buckeyes had plenty of success forcing turnovers and putting relentless pressure on senior goalie Billy Sauer, who faced 29 shots in the first two frames.

“We were definitely not in sync (in the first two periods), whether it was the execution or the effort or the second effort," Berenson said Friday. "But this is second effort hockey. If you get one or two players that aren’t giving a second effort, then it shows."

Michigan definitely appeared to be the more aggressive team Saturday, registering a number of big hits and consistently winning battles for the puck along the boards. The Wolverines played much more often in Ohio State's zone Saturday, and registered far too many scoring chances for Heeter to withstand.

"That was the key, to play all 60 minutes," Caporusso said Saturday. "I don't think our team had done that up until today. ... We stayed patient. We didn't get frustrated."