Tim Benz: With Penguins waiting to return, Robert Morris carries the flag for Pittsburgh hockey

Under the coronavirus cloud, the NHL is still trying to figure out a way to return to play for the 2020-21 season.

Well, let’s be honest. We can pretty much drop the 2020 part of that equation at this point, can’t we?

But even without the Penguins on the ice, there is hockey being played in Pittsburgh. The Robert Morris Colonials are carrying the torch for the sport on the local level. They began their 17th NCAA Division I season last weekend with a Saturday-Sunday sweep of Alabama-Huntsville.

It had been 258 days between games for the Colonials. And the seven-month pause was full of anxiety as to when — or how — college hockey could ever get rebooted during the pandemic.

“Right now, it’s the first winter sport in college athletics to play,” Schooley said. “It was pretty exciting (to play again). I can’t commend our athletic department enough for the job they did to put that on and allow us to play. It was a great weekend.”

When Schooley talks about the efforts made to get the games going, he’s talking about countless hours (and dollars) spent to organize the covid-19 protocols, test players and staff, cleanse facilities, and retrofit the arena to make it acceptably “socially distanced” to minimize any potential spread of the virus.

The atmosphere isn’t the same at the Island Sports Center. How could it be? No fans are allowed at games. The band isn’t in the corner of the Clearview Arena near the auxiliary stands. RoMo isn’t skating around the ice leading the intermission “Chuck-A-Puck” contest.

But as Schooley said Saturday after the first win against the Chargers, he was so engrossed in coaching again, and both teams were so engaged, he never even noticed the lack of the crowd.

Well, until Sunday. That’s when freshman Randy Hernandez scored a go-ahead goal in the third period. And it was met with quiet.

“Instead of the place roaring and erupting, there was an awkward silence. Except for our bench. That was one (moment) where you would’ve wanted the fans to be a part of it,” Schooley lamented.

As Schooley said repeatedly, though, all the extras would be nice to have. But what matters most is that the sport is actually happening on Neville Island. It’s not at PPG Paints Arena. It’s not on some campuses and in some other conferences. For that, he and his players are grateful.

“I think we just need to be appreciative of playing hockey. And playing it on a daily basis,” Schooley said.

Forward Jordan Timmons knows what “a hockey night in Pittsburgh” is all about and how special they are. He grew up hearing Penguins play-by-play voice Mike Lange belt out that game-opening phrase his whole life.

The Bridgeville native played with South Fayette High School and the Penguins Elite (U16/U18) program before starting his college career at UConn. This year he transferred to RMU as a junior, scoring twice in his first game Saturday.

As one of four local products on the roster — the others are Tyler Love (Moon), Roman Kraemer (Pittsburgh), and Brian Kramer (Wexford) — Timmons takes a special pride in being part of a team that is the only game in town for his sport.

“We’re used to the NHL being played at this time,” Timmons said. “So I feel like there is a lack of hockey right now in the city. I think it could be a really good thing for Robert Morris as a whole to get some (notice) in the city. I think it could carry over for years.”

Now the Colonials want to seize the opportunity of having a bigger slice of the Pittsburgh sports media spotlight and pay it off with more wins to start the season.

Even if people can’t buy tickets to watch them play in person.

“It would be nice to have fans and friends and family in the stands,” said junior forward Aiden Spellacy. “But it’s fun. You create your own energy. Bring your own juice. We’ve been doing a good job of that. It’s definitely cool being in the spotlight a little bit in Pittsburgh. Being the only hockey going on.”

Robert Morris has three more home games over the next week, hosting Canisius to open conference play Friday (5 p.m.) and Saturday (4 p.m.). Then the Colonials welcome Bowling Green on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

So it can still be “a hockey night in Pittsburgh” even if the Penguins aren’t allowed back on the ice any time soon.

Listen: Tim Benz talks Robert Morris Colonials hockey on the Breakfast with Benz podcast