The Michigan hockey team needed a simple game plan to salvage its weekend series with rival Michigan State.

A night after being whistled for 11 penalties in an overtime road loss to the Spartans, the Wolverines had to play smarter - both defensively and by staying out of the box.

A stand-up performance from goalie Shawn Hunwick and an offensive pick-me-up from leading scorer Carl Hagelin certainly didn't hurt.

Hagelin scored twice and the No. 7-ranked Wolverines recorded three third-period goals in a 4-0 shutout of Michigan State on Saturday night at Yost Ice Arena. It's the first time Michigan has shut out its biggest rival twice in the same season since 1952-53.

Things didn't, however, start with the kind of flourish the Wolverines hoped for.

"We were really vulnerable for half the game," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "Then, we started to pick it up."

Hagelin, who scored three goals in Michigan's first two meetings against the Spartans this season, kick-started the Wolverines.

Just six seconds into a power-play chance, Hagelin tried to direct a shot toward forward Matt Rust in front of the Michigan State net. When Rust missed on a re-direct chance, the puck slipped past Spartans goalie Drew Palmisano.

Palmisano, an Ann Arbor native, started in place of freshman Will Yanakeff, who made 37 saves in Friday night's win. Yanakeff tweaked a groin muscle in Michigan State's morning skate on Saturday and did not dress for the series finale.

Michigan (13-6-4, 10-4-1 CCHA) made the lead stand up until the second period when Hagelin got just enough of a Langlais shot to beat Palmisano for the second time. In 18 career games against the Spartans, Hagelin has 11 goals and eight assists.

"I just got lucky goals," Hagelin said. "I just tried to put pucks on net - it's always fun to play against that team, and it's something people talked about before I came here. But it's just luck, I guess."

No matter how they came, the two goals gave Hunwick all the cushion he would need. Hunwick, who contributed to Michigan's penalty woes Friday with a third-period double minor that led to a Spartans goal, preserved the lead Saturday, finishing with 28 saves.

The senior made 22 of his saves in the first two periods when Michigan jumped to the 2-0 lead. But after erasing a two-goal deficit in Friday night's loss, Berenson knew the Wolverines weren't out of the woods.

Perhaps Hunwick's biggest save came in the third period with the Spartans skating short-handed. Michigan State found itself with a prime scoring chance right in front of Hunwick, who pushed the shot away, maintaining the shutout.

The Wolverines took advantage the when A.J. Treais scored an all-important third goal at the 15:20 mark of the period that finally allowed the Wolverines to breathe a bit easier.

"I thought the first goal was important, the second goal was huge and the third goal was comforting," Berenson said.

Mac Bennett capped the win with his first career goal as Michigan won for the fifth time in six games against the Spartans (8-11-3, 4-9-1 CCHA). The third period was the difference as Michigan avoided the penalty box while Michigan State was called for four penalties, including a pair of roughing the goaltender calls for knocking Hunwick down.

After falling behind first-place Notre Dame by four-points following Friday night's loss, Saturday was all about staying close. The Irish maintained their cushion with a 3-1 win over Northern Michigan.

"Tonight was huge for us, and it was an opportunity to climb back up the standings," Hunwick said. "So we know we have to put together some wins."

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Jeff Arnold covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com and can be reached at (734) 623-2554 or by e-mail at jeffarnold@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffreyparnold.