NEVILLE TWP, Pa. — For most of the second half of the season, Robert Morris has been one man short in goal. While senior Dalton Izyk and freshman Francis Marotte battled things out for the starter’s net, junior Andrew Pikul has been sidelined with a right ankle injury since the team’s series at Holy Cross at the end of January.
With Pikul still in a walking boot and the team beginning preparations for a postseason run, head coach Derek Schooley decided that he needed to make a move at the beginning of March. So he picked up the phone and called Michael Joseph, head coach of Robert Morris’ ACHA Division I club team.
Joseph recommended junior netminder Nathan Mortland, who had taken over the starters’ net for the club Colonials towards the end of the season. Mortland and the rest of the club team’s season had just ended and they were planning on a Florida vacation over spring break. Instead, Mortland was called up to the Division I team for a playoff run.
“I found out Saturday before break,” Mortland said. “My coach from the club team called me and asked me if I had any plans over break. Then he told me I got called up.”
With his own season having just ended, Mortland wasn’t even thinking about a potential call-up and wasn’t even aware that Pikul was injured.
“It wasn’t in the front of my mind,” he said. “It’s definitely a possibility. But it only happens once every couple of years. I’m just glad it was me that it happened to.”
It’s actually the second time in the past two seasons that Schooley has tapped the club team for a player. Forward Alex Dagnal spent his freshman season playing ACHA hockey before getting the call to the big club after some injuries had Robert Morris shorthanded going into the 2015-16 season.
Behind Izyk and Marotte, Mortland most likely won’t see the ice in a competitive game for the Colonials, even though he did dress last weekend against Holy Cross and traveled with the team to Rochester for the Atlantic Hockey final four this weekend. Instead, Mortland’s primary role with the team will be to give the Colonials’ shooters a good look in practice.
Even in practice, Mortland has noticed the difference in size, speed and skill in going from club hockey to varsity.
“With odd-man rushes and plays in the zone, they always look for the extra pass,” Mortland said. “If they have an open shot, they might not take it, they may wait and see if they have a better scoring opportunity. It’s helped me with my patience waiting to see the play.”
The opportunity might exist for this late-season practice run to turn into something more, as well. Izyk is graduating after this season and the team does not currently have another goaltender signed to play in 2017-18.
“[Izyk] helped me through this whole process,“ Mortland said. “I’m just going to try to work my butt off and keep this spot if I can.”
As far as his Florida vacation, it’s been indefinitely postponed until his second season ends. But you won’t hear Mortland complain.
“It’s perfect,” Mortland said. “I’ve been working my whole life to try to play at this level. It’s a dream come true. Florida’s not going anywhere.”
