The Vikings scored 3-0 and 2-0 victories at the Berry Events Center to back up the statistic that the Vikings are the No. 1 defensive unit in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. It was also Northern’s first shutout weekend since the 2020-21 season.

Augustana moved into a tie for first place in the CCHA with 30 points, matching the total of St. Thomas as each knocked former leader Minnesota State-Mankato into a tie with Michigan Tech for third with 28.

The Vikings improved to 14-6-3 in just their third season of NCAA Division I hockey and 8-4-3 in the league. Northern slid to 1-23 and 1-15 with five points.

Through all their struggles, the Wildcats remain just three points — the value of a regulation win — behind eighth-place Ferris State (3-13 CCHA), which has eight points.

Northern Michigan University goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, right, makes a save on a shot by Augustana's Cole Burtch, back left, during their CCHA game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Augustana’s stingy defense has allowed just 27 goals in 15 conference games, 1.8 per game and the only CCHA team allowing less than two goals per contest. MTU is second at 2.1 per outing.

And the Huskies are next up on the NMU schedule, though not until after Northern takes this weekend off before resuming with a traditional home-and-home series vs. Tech. The Friday, Jan. 23, game at 7:07 p.m. will be played in Marquette, with the Saturday 6:07 p.m. game in Houghton.

Here are details from the Augustana series:

Augustana 3, NMU 0

On Friday night, shots on goal were at a premium for the Wildcats as they were outshot 33-18. Northern freshman netminder Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 30 saves, while Vikings counterpart Josh Kotai had 18, the most being eight in the scoreless first period.

Northern Michigan University’s Kyle Bettens, left, takes a shot from just inside the blueline during a CCHA game played against Augustana at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

The opening period might’ve also been NMU’s best chance to score when Matthew Argentina hit the post during the opening shift of the night. That’s also when Auyeung-Ashton made a save on a partial breakaway.

Augustana got the only goal it would need with 6:18 left in the second on a power play when Brett Meerman camped out in the high slot and deflected a pass from defenseman Owen Baumgartner, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information. The deflection snuck under Auyeung-Ashton’s arm and trickled over the goal line.

The Vikings added insurance with a little over eight minutes left in the third. Callum Gau rushed up the right side, driving into the corner. Teammate Ben Troumbly picked up the loose puck, circled the net and found an unattended Samo Meritahti, who whistled a one-timer past the Northern goalie, according to NMU SI.

The final goal was an empty-netter coming with 28 seconds left by Joey DelGreco after a Wildcat turnover in the neutral zone.

In addition to Argentina coming oh-so-close by hitting the post early on, Northern freshman Tobias Pitka won nine of 15 faceoffs to lead all players, while teammates Zane Demsey and Danny Ciccarello each blocked two shots.

Pitka recently returned from playing for his home country Slovakia at the world junior championships in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota.

Augustana 2, NMU 0

On Saturday night, Auyeung-Ashton kept the Wildcats in it throughout, stopping 37 shots as the NMU offense perked up and forced Kotai to make 27 stops, including 14 in the third.

For the weekend, Auyeung-Ashton stopped 67 of 71 shots he faced, the final AU goal an empty-netter on Friday, for a .944 saves percentage.

The Vikings also held a 29-18 advantage in faceoffs and had more blocked shots, 20-13.

Augustana scored the game-winner right away on this night, just 2:44 in when Will Howard and Garett Drotts converted an NMU turnover at the Vikings’ blueline into a 2-on-1 rush. Drotts played a pass to Howard, who waited out a sliding Northern goalie to score.

The Wildcats had several good chances to even the game in a scoreless second period, including an 8-0 shots edge during one four-minute period and the same during another two minutes.

The visitors did get one more goal in the third. With 12:42 left on a power play, defenseman Easton Young lined up a blistering shot into the upper corner past the glove hand of Auyeung-Ashton for an insurance marker.

Augustana 3, NMU 0

Friday at Berry Events Center

Summary:

First period — No scoring

Second period — 1. AUG, Brett Meerman (Baumgartner, Bulgakov) ppg 13:42

Third period — 2. AUG, Samo Meritahti (Troumbly, Gau) 12:18; 3. AUG, Joey DelGreco (Friesen, Bohn) eng 19:32

Penalties-minutes: Augustana 3-6, NMU 2-4

Power-play opportunities: Augustana 1 of 2, NMU 0 of 3

Goalie saves: Augustana, Josh Kotai 18 (8-5-5); NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 30 (13-12-5)

Augustana 2, NMU 0

Saturday at Berry Events Center

Summary:

First period — 1. AUG, Will Howard (Drotts) 2:44

Second period — No scoring

Third period — 2. AUG, Easton Young (Burtch, Hennen) ppg 7:18

Penalties-minutes: Augustana 2-4, NMU 3-6

Power-play opportunities: Augustana 1 of 2, NMU 0 of 1

Goalie saves: Augustana, Josh Kotai 27 (7-6-14); NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 37 (12-12-13)

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.