The loss snapped MSU’s eight game winning streak.

“They’re the best we’ve played by far,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “You could tell they’re on a mission, and they played hard. At the end of the game, they just toyed with us for the last five or six minutes. We were tired, and they wore us out tonight.”

Miami (10-1-0 overall, 8-1-0 CCHA) jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

With senior forward Chris Mueller in the penalty box for slashing, the RedHawks wasted no time, as Miami’s Carter Camper sent a cross-crease pass to Brian Kaufman who put the puck past junior goaltender Jeff Lerg to give Miami a 1-0 lead.

It took a while for the game to open up, but when it did, the game quickly got fast and intense.

Miami appeared to take a 2-0 lead around the seven minute mark of the second period, but the goal was called back after a lengthy review due to goalkeeper contact before the puck entered the net.

The call seemed to energize both the team and the crowd as the Spartans roared right back into the game.

Junior forward Tim Kennedy continued his hot play, tying the game at one at 8:47, taking a cross-ice slap-pass from sophomore defenseman Michael Ratchuk and putting it past RedHawks goaltender Jeff Zatkoff.

But Miami answered right back, as the end boards, which had been producing strange bounces all night, paid dividends for the RedHawks, when defenseman Mitch Ganzak’s point shot went wide but bounced right onto the stick of Justin Mercier, who tapped in his first of two goals.

But again, the Spartans (8-2-0, 4-1-0) bounced right back, tying the game less than four minutes later when freshman forward Corey Tropp sniped a shot over Zatkoff’s shoulder on a 2-on-1.

For as well as MSU played in the second period, the third period was nearly all Miami, as it controlled the puck and tempo for much of the 20 minutes, allowing the Spartans just three shots in the period.

The RedHawks were able to play at their own pace after taking a 3-2 lead less than a minute into the period on a deflection goal by Nathan Davis.

Comley placed no blame on Lerg for any of the three goals scored against him.

“Jeff was really couragous and fought and competed,” Comley said. “He had no chance on any of the goals and held us in there. That third one was a tough one.”

MSU had a 5-on-3 for over a minute later in the period but could get next to nothing going as the RedHawks continually got the puck and cleared.

Lerg made 29 saves for MSU, while Zatkoff stopped 22 shots for Miami.

The two teams meet again at 7:05 p.m. tonight.

“I expect a barnburner tomorrow,” Comley said.