SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The No. 14 Augustana hockey team hits the road this weekend for one lone conference contest against No. 20 Minnesota State on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. 

Complete action can be followed on GoAugie.com/Live and the GoAugie app, presented by The Original Pancake House. The app can be downloaded in the App Store or Google Play.

The Mavericks
Minnesota State enters the weekend ranked No. 20 nationally with a 12-8-5 overall record and an 8-6-3 mark in CCHA play, positioning itself firmly in the conference race midway through the season. The Mavericks have been strong away from Mankato, posting a 6-4-3 road record, and have leaned on a balanced lineup that averages 2.60 goals per game while allowing just 2.32.

Offensively, the Mavericks are paced by Tristan Lemyre, who leads the team with 10 goals and 20 points, including four power-play tallies. Evan Murr matches Lemyre with 20 points on the year, ranking second on the team with 14 assists, while Luigi Benincasa adds another consistent scoring presence with 18 points and strong faceoff numbers. Between the pipes, Minnesota State is anchored by Alex Tracy, who owns an 11-8-5 record, a 2.06 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage, giving the Mavericks a steady backbone in net

The Vikings
Augustana enters the road matchup with Minnesota State with a 16-6-3 overall record and a 10-4-3 mark in CCHA play through 25 games. The Vikings have averaged 2.96 goals per game while allowing just 2.00, and they have earned points in 19 of 25 contests this season. Augustana has also been particularly sharp in conference play, ranking among the CCHA leaders in both scoring defense and special teams, including a power play converting at .227 percent.

Offensively, the Vikings are led by Brett Meerman, who tops the team with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists), while Leonid Bulgakov has been the primary finisher with a team-high 11 goals to go along with 18 points. Jacob Jastrzebski provides consistent production in the middle of the lineup, ranking third on the team with 16 points and contributing in all situations. In goal, Josh Kotai has anchored Augustana's success, compiling a 14-6-3 record, a 1.99 goals-against average, a .934 save percentage and four shutouts, giving the Vikings one of the top goaltending tandems in the conference.