The Spartans’ 15 penalties on the weekend allowed Miami forwards Andy Miele and Carter Camper, the CCHA’s two leading scorers, to find open ice and finish as they each recorded a power-play goal.

“They have a very good power play. They’re a really skilled team, and they move the puck around really well,” junior defenseman Matt Crandell said. “(Friday) night we were able to kind of keep them on check and block a lot of shots. (Saturday) they kind of found a way to get some pucks to the net and get a couple goals. They’re just really skilled.”

Although the RedHawks have succeeded against the majority of the penalty kills they’ve faced this season, MSU didn’t help itself by committing nine penalties in Saturday’s game and allowing a second-period 5-on-3 chance that was converted by Camper to put the RedHawks ahead 3-0.

“Obviously when you’re a man down, you can’t take another penalty to put such a potent offense on a 5-on-3,” sophomore defenseman Torey Krug said. “That’s disappointing to put ourselves in that position because we did it to ourselves.”

The Spartans (10-12-4, 6-10-2 CCHA) scored two power-play goals Friday, courtesy of freshman forward Greg Wolfe burying a shot in the second period and junior forward Brett Perlini’s empty netter with 18 seconds remaining, and finished 2-for-12 against the top-ranked penalty-killing unit in the conference at 90.5 percent.

“They’re patient, they move the puck and they’re very confident,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said of the RedHawk power-play unit.

“We were OK on 5-on-4, but if you give them that ice with two men down, they’re going to hurt you.”