SOUIX FALLS, N.D. - The NMU hockey team were unable to produce the weekend split, dropping Saturday night's contest against the Vikings by a score of 4-1, empty net.

Despite being down 1-0 after the first period, the Wildcats (1-12-1, 0-7-1 CCHA) controlled the majority of play for the first 30 minutes of the game, out shooting the Vikings (8-6-0, 5-3-0 CCHA) 16-6 in the first half of Saturday's contest.

After being dominated, the Vikings scored a pair of goals 32 seconds apart just over the midway mark of the second to take a 3-0 lead into the third period. 

Brendan Poshak got the Wildcats on the board with his first career collegiate goal after Jakob Peterson made a great play in the defensive zone to steal the puck and feed Zach Michaelis for a two-on-one with Poshak. Brendan toe-dragged a sliding defender, walked in between the hash marks, and beat Kotai over the pad and under the arm on the far side. 

Augustana would cap the game off with an empty net goal in the final minutes. Four separate Vikings registered goals, led by Luke Mobley (1-1--2) and Colton Friesen (0-2--2), both with multi-point games. 

Augustana netminder Josh Kotai made 29 saves for a .967 SV%, giving the sophomore a streak of three consecutive games with only allowing one goal. Ryan Ouellette made 25 saves on the evening, now has 20+ saves in all but one contest this season.

The Wildcats' streak of three games without allowing a power-play goal was snapped, as the Vikings were successful on its only opportunity of the evening while the Cats were 0/2 on the man advantage. 

NMU held an advantage in shots by a tally of 30-29, the second time this season the Wildcats have out-shot an opponent on the season.

After spending the last two weekends on lengthy road trips, NMU returns home this coming weekend, December 6 and 7, to play host to the Ferris State Bulldogs. A packed weekend with game day promotions, Friday night's contest features a teddy bear toss, and Saturday will have both a sock toss at an intermission followed by skate with the 'Cats proceeding the contest.

Friday night puck drop is 7:07 PM followed by 6:07 PM on Saturday from the Rick Comley Rink at the Berry Events Center.