Friday, the Spartans capitalized on quick rushes and RedHawk miscues to pull away. On Saturday, they only mustered 26 shots to the RedHawks’ 47, and watched the visitors create more opportunities.

“They were really good tonight,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said. “I thought in the third period we got it going, but if you give them 5-on-3s and 4-on-3s, they’re going to score.”

The RedHawks, who entered the weekend with the CCHA’s best power play, scored three goals with the man-advantage on Saturday, and capitalized on nine MSU penalties.

MSU hung in the game early, thanks to a solid effort from junior goalie Drew Palmisano, who finished with 43 saves in his second consecutive 40-save effort.

The RedHawks (14-9-3, 11-7-2 CCHA) scored midway through the first period to grab the early lead, and after the Spartans took a penalty with 53 seconds remaining in the first, the RedHawks’ Andy Miele scored in the final second of the period to put Miami ahead 2-0.

Miele scored two goals in Friday night’s loss and was all over the ice again Saturday, showing why he’s one of the conference’s premier forwards.

“We got a couple of good bounces with a couple early goals last night, and that really got us some good momentum going through the game,” junior defenseman Matt Crandell said. “Tonight they really got some lucky ones in the first period which kind of held the momentum more toward their side.”

MSU had killed an earlier penalty at 14:23 of the first period, and junior Drew Palmisano stopped a RedHawk opportunity from point-blank range with 2:54 left, but Miami converted late and closed the period with a 21-5 edge in shots on goal.

Miami killed off a penalty early in the second period, and after back-to-back Spartan penalties, converted on a 5-on-3 power play when forward Carter Camper scored from the middle to make it 3-0 at 9:31 of the period.

Two minutes later, MSU senior forward Dustin Gazley recorded a great breakaway chance that was stopped by Miami goaltender Connor Knapp. Friday, the puck likely would have found the back of the net, but MSU did not have many bounces go its way on Saturday.

“The only chance I thought we had was Gazley had the breakaway when it was 2-0,” Comley said. “If he could have scored there, maybe that gives a spark to get you going.”

Miami’s Chris Wideman scored on a power play 1:16 into the final period, and then both teams got a little sloppy in committing nine combined penalties for the period.

The RedHawks recorded a great scoring chance at 6:37 when forward Reilly Smith slipped into the MSU zone on a short-handed breakaway, but didn’t get a great shot on it.

Sophomore forward Dean Chelios nearly scored on a tip-in in front of the goal at 14:16, but Knapp got over and finished with 26 saves.

Gazley had six shots to lead MSU, which falls to 10-12-4 and 6-10-2 CCHA, and will face Ferris State on the road on Thursday.

“I think they brought it to us,” sophomore defenseman Torey Krug said. “They just came at us pretty hard and we didn’t respond the way we wanted to, but we weathered the storm for a little bit and (Palmisano) made some unbelievable saves and he really kept us in it.”