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DULUTH, Minn. - Minnesota Duluth's special teams took control of the game early and sent the Miami hockey team to a season-ending 3-1 loss in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Playoffs on Saturday night.

The Bulldogs (17-14-5) eliminate the RedHawks (15-18-3) by sweeping the best-of-three series over the weekend, winning their fourth-straight game the past two weeks against the Red and White.

A good rush on the opening shift by Miami drew a penalty to put MU on the power play just 36 seconds in. However, it was Minnesota Duluth that found the offense as Kyle Osterberg forced a turnover at the point and skated in for a breakaway goal to put UMD up 1-0 with just 1:31 gone by.

The Red and White took four of the first five shots on goal and had a glorious chance to even it up nearly midway through the period. Anthony Louis lugged the puck up ice for what became a 3-on-1 rush. Louis dropped the puck to a late rushing Matthew Caito into the right circle, but Kasimir Kaskisuo aggressively cut off the angle and made a save.

After killing off one penalty cleanly past the midway point of the frame, special teams continued haunting Miami. MU committed another infraction shortly after the previous kill, which Andy Welinski converted on with a blast from the point to make it 2-0 with 4:33 remaining in the opening frame. The Bulldogs at one point took six-straight shots on goal before a late RedHawk flurry. Despite that late surge, UMD still skated to the locker room ahead 2-0 after 20 minutes.

Shots were hard to come by for both sides in the second period, but the RedHawks got a couple chances on the power play midway through the period. Neither of MU's man advantages were able to connect and UMD managed to add to its lead with another shorthanded goal as Tony Cameranesi slipped behind everyone and scored on a breakaway to make it 3-0 after 40 minutes.

Miami got three more power plays in the third period, but was unable to get much generated on any of those attempts. The last one came with roughly six minutes left and the Red and White pulled Jay Williams from the goal for a sixth skater to press for offense. Kevin Morris put Miami on the board with 2:48 left as Louis got the puck ahead to Jack Roslovic to create a 2-on-1 rush, where Roslovic fed Morris for a back door goal.

Down 3-1, the RedHawks tried to get closer with an extra skater on the ice and the net empty, but a penalty curtailed that with 2:02 left. Miami was able to work the puck into the offensive zone and put some pressure on the Minnesota Duluth net, but Kaskisuo would not let MU get any closer as UMD secured the series clinching win.

The Bulldogs outshot the RedHawks 19-16 for the evening in a contest that didn't see many chances on either side. Special teams were the difference as UMD killed off all six MU power plays, scored two shorthanded goals and went 1-for-5 on the man advantage. Kaskisuo stopped 15 of 16 Miami shots while Williams finished with 16 saves at the other end.

Miami will look to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in 12 seasons when it opens up the 2016-17 season in October.