ROANOKE, Va. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Friday that the team has signed forward Anthony Cinato to a standard player contract, and have used another PTO contract to retain defenseman Aidan Girduckis. Additionally, defenseman Matt O’Dea has been placed on the 14-day injured reserve retroactive to March 9.
Cinato joined the Dawgs from the University of New England (NCAA-DIII), where he played for one season after suiting up previously at New England College (NCAA-DIII) for three seasons. During his first five games with the Dawgs on a PTO contract, the rookie has notched two goals, four assists, two penalty minutes, and a plus-four rating. In his four seasons of college hockey, the Warren, Michigan native recorded 26 goals, 39 assists, and 54 penalty minutes over 86 games played. Cinato was teammates with fellow Rail Yard Dawg C.J. Valerian while at New England College. The five-foot-eleven forward played his junior hockey in the NCDC, USPHL Premier, and NA3HL, primarily with the Metro Jets. Across the three leagues, Cinato tallied 40 goals, 71 assists, and 66 penalty minutes in a combined 141 games played.
Girduckis joined the Dawgs from Chatham University (NCAA-DIII), where he played for four seasons after transferring from Robert Morris University (NCAA-DI). During his first five games with the Dawgs on a PTO contract, the rookie has notched three assists, four penalty minutes, and a plus-seven rating. The six-foot-four defenseman had five goals, 27 assists, and 79 penalty minutes in 77 games while at Chatham, and recorded one goal, 12 penalty minutes, and a minus-one rating in 22 games over two seasons at Robert Morris. Before his college career, the Belleville, Ontario native played three seasons of junior hockey in the OJHL (Wellington Dukes) and CCHL (Carleton Place Canadians). The right-shot blue-liner notched 22 goals, 58 assists, and 199 penalty minutes in 195 combined games played between the two leagues.
O’Dea is in his fourth season with the Dawgs, leading the team in points this year (37) and assists (30), while ranking tied for first and first respectively in both of those categories among the SPHL defensemen leaderboards. The five-foot-eleven defenseman has been among the best offensive producers from the blue line in the SPHL over the past three years, tallying 31 goals (most among SPHL defensemen) and 70 assists in 132 games since the start of the 2021-2022 regular season, as only Peoria’s Zach Wilkie has more assists or points than O’Dea in that span. The Orland Park, Illinois native added two goals and two assists during the team’s run to the President’s Cup title in the spring. O’Dea is in his second season serving as an alternate captain for the Dawgs, and he currently ranks among the franchise’s top seven all-time leaders for games played (173), goals (36), assists (81), and points (116).
The Rail Yard Dawgs visit the Birmingham Bulls on Friday night, March 15 at 8:00 P.M. EST at the Pelham Civic Complex, and you can watch the game on Flo or listen in on Mixlr. Playoff packages are on sale now, and can be purchased by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs office. Other season ticket packages, group tickets, and single-game tickets are on sale now by contacting the Rail Yard Dawgs office or visiting the Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Paula Greenway (Cinato) // Michele Hancock (Girduckis)
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