Searching for a spark, the University of Michigan hockey team has named two new captains.

Players this week voted junior forward Carl Hagelin and sophomore forward Luke Glendening as alternate captains. Eight players received votes, but Michigan coach Red Berenson said Hagelin and Glendening earned the “significant majority.”

They’ll join senior defenseman Chris Summers, whom Berenson named as captain before the season.

Michigan, which was has lost four straight games, including two last weekend to Michigan State, dropped from No. 6 to No. 15 in national polls. As the Wolverines try to turn around their season, Berenson said new captains can provide a lift.

“The players have spoken, and I think they’ll respect those two,” Berenson said. “I don’t know if it will deepen leadership on the team or overall chemistry, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Hagelin is tied for second on the Wolverines with eight points, and he leads the team with 34 shots.

“It’s pretty easy to see he’s our hardest working player in practice, on the ice and off the ice,” Berenson said. “He’s very studious, very serious about school, about hockey, about everything. He’s a very easy player to look up to if you’re a younger player on this team.”

Glendening has been an overachiever since joining the Wolverines. Three of his six goals last season were game-winners, and he notched the first multi-point game of his career Oct. 30 against Boston University.

His numbers aren’t flashy, Berenson said, but his work ethic shines.

“He’s a kid that has earned everything he’s gotten at Michigan,” Berenson said. “He didn’t come here on a scholarship, he didn’t come here with a lot of talk about his draft status or any of that. He was not a high-profile recruit.

“But when he got here, every day in practice, he’s showed everybody he can help this team. And he’s worked himself up to be chosen as a captain as a sophomore - that’s pretty significant.”

Summers, who’s been steering his team through a tough start, said the best thing any captain can do is lead by example.

“You’ve got to kind of be a guide in a sense, but at the same time worry about yourself and make sure you’re doing the right thing,” Summers said. “You don’t always have to be the voice in the locker room, or getting on guys and yelling at guys.

“As long as I’m doing the right things in practice, working hard, I think and I hope guys will follow in my footsteps. There’s a time and a place for captains to get upset and make sure they’re getting in guys’ faces, but it can’t be an all-the-time thing. You’ve got to pick and choose your situations.”