College Hockey: Augustana's Sweep Propels Vikings to Historic Ranking
Sophomore Leo Bulgakov and goalie Mathis Langevin led a 16-1 combined victory over Northern Michigan, lifting the team to No. 8.
By Madison Darwish ·
The Augustana Vikings entered the final weeks of October with a question that had never been answered in the program's four-year history: how high could they climb in the national rankings? After dismantling Northern Michigan in a two-game series at Midco Arena in Deephaven, Minnesota, the team answered that question. They now sit at No. 8 in the USCHO.com national poll, a position they secured on Monday following their dominant performance against the Wildcats.
The sweep came with a combined score of 16-1. Augustana, which improved its record to 7-0-1, outscored Northern Michigan 12-0 in the first game on Friday and 4-1 in the second game on Saturday. This victory marked the second-highest point total for a team in the country during the month of October. Only Wisconsin, which is currently 6-0-0, has more wins in that timeframe. The Vikings are now one of only two remaining undefeated teams in Division I hockey, excluding Ivy League schools.
The team's success was recognized by the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, which awarded three of its four weekly honors to Augustana players. Sophomore Leo Bulgakov was named Forward of the Week, while sophomore Mathis Langevin received the Goaltender of the Week award. Heath Nelson was selected as Rookie of the Week. Bemidji State’s Maxon Vig took the Defenseman of the Week award, capping a weekend where his team defeated Ferris State and won an exhibition shootout.
Bulgakov, a native of Minsk, Belarus, generated five points during the series. He recorded a power-play goal and three assists in the 12-0 win. In the 4-1 victory, he added an empty-netter in the final period. Over the two games, the sophomore forward took 10 shots on goal and posted a plus-7 rating. He currently leads Augustana with 11 points, a total that ties him with two other skaters for the second-most in the nation.
Goalie Mathis Langevin, from Saint-Zotique, Quebec, stopped 39 of 40 shots faced, resulting in a .975 save percentage for the series. He recorded his first collegiate shutout on Friday. The only goal he conceded came on a power-play opportunity in the second period of Saturday's contest. In eight games this season, Langevin holds a 1.59 goals-against average, which ranks first among qualified CCHA goalies. His .940 save percentage is third in the conference. He has logged 490 minutes on the ice, the third-highest total in Division I hockey.
Freshman Heath Nelson, a forward from Lino Lakes, Minnesota, set a single-game program record with five points on Friday. He scored two goals and provided three assists. In the series, he finished with eight shots on goal and a plus-6 rating. Nelson now has seven points for the season, tying him for second on the team. He has appeared in all eight of Augustana's games this year.
The Vikings return to play on Friday and Saturday for a two-game series against No. 14 Michigan Tech in Houghton, Michigan. Michigan Tech dropped one spot in the latest poll to reach that rank. Bowling Green received 12 votes in the same ranking. The previous week's standings saw Michigan Tech at No. 13.
