MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - June 21, 2012 - An exciting year of college hockey in Pittsburgh kicks off this October as the Robert Morris University men's hockey team begins the ninth campaign in program history in 2012-13. The Colonials unveiled next year's schedule on Thursday including the first-ever Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational and the Mecca of college hockey - the 2013 NCAA Men's Frozen Four at CONSOL Energy Center.
"This is going to be a tremendous year for college hockey here in Pittsburgh, and we are excited to be hosting some of the most prolific events in the nation this season," head caoch Derek Schooley said. "We are thrilled with this season's schedule. Our guys are excited for the teams we have lined up, and we think our fans will be too."
The newly minted 84 Lumber Arena will host 14 regular-season home games in 2012-13 including eight of the Colonials' last 11 Atlantic Hockey Association contests. The 84 Lumber Company acquired naming rights to Robert Morris' home rink in the RMU Island Sports Center earlier this year. The Colonials will break in their new home on Oct. 7 with an exhibition game against Wilfred Laurier.
The 2012-13 regular season will see Robert Morris open on the road with a nonconference series against Quinnipiac on Oct. 13-14 before traveling to Rochester for the AHA season opener against Rochester Institute of Technology on Thursday, Oct. 25. The Colonials close out the first month of the season with the 2012-13 home opener on Saturday, Oct. 27 against defending league champion Air Force.
RMU begins the month of November by hosting Bentley for a pair of league games on Nov. 2-3. The Colonials then embark on a month-long, four-game road stretch starting at Canisius on Nov. 9, followed by a single game at Niagara on Nov. 17 and a two-game series at Holy Cross on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Robert Morris then returns home for a rematch of last year's RMU College Hockey Showcase against Ohio State at 84 Lumber Arena on Friday, Dec. 7 before rounding out the home-and-home series the following night in Columbus.
College hockey fans in Pennsylvania will be wise to circle Dec. 15 on their calendar this year as the Colonials travel to Penn State for the first-ever NCAA meeting between Robert Morris and the Nittany Lions, who begin their inaugural season of NCAA Division I competition in 2012-13.
Pennsylvania will celebrate another college hockey first on Dec. 28-29 when Robert Morris hosts the inaugural Pittsburgh College Hockey Invitational in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Penguins and CONSOL Energy Center. Penn State, Ohio State and Miami (Ohio) will join the Colonials in the event, which replaces the RMU College Hockey Showcase. Tournament format and game times for the four-team event will be announced at a later date.
The Colonials open the second half with four Atlantic Hockey series in January at Army (Jan. 4-5), at home against Connecticut (Jan. 11-12), at American International (Jan. 18-19) and at Air Force (Jan. 25-26). Robert Morris opens February with five-straight home games and eight of its last 11 games at 84 Lumber Arena starting with a two-game series against Sacred Heart on Feb. 1-2. After a midweek contest against Mercyhurst on Tuesday, Feb. 5, the Colonials play host to RIT the following weekend on Feb. 8-9. The Colonials close out the 2012-13 regular season with three-straight home-and-home series against Niagara (Feb. 15-16), Canisius (Feb. 22-23) and Mercyhurst (March 1-2) before the AHA tournament on March 8-23.
The 2012-13 season ends with all roads leading to Pittsburgh. For the first time in NCAA history, the city will see a major national championship awarded firsthand as Robert Morris hosts the NCAA Men's Frozen Four on April 11-13 at CONSOL Energy Center. In addition to being the first national championship hosted in Pittsburgh, this year's event marks the first time the Frozen Four will be held in the state of Pennsylvania.
Ticket information for the 2012-13 Robert Morris men's hockey season will be released at a later date. Schedule subject to change.
