ROANOKE, Va. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Wednesday that forward Dominiks Marcinkevics has returned from his ECHL call-up with the Adirondack Thunder, and forward Xavier Filion has returned from his ECHL call-up with the Trois-Riviéres Lions. Additionally, Roanoke has placed rookie forward Jimmy O’Kane on team suspension and has placed rookie forward Brent Rickett on waivers.
Marcinkevics is in his second season with the Dawgs, and has been lighting it up this season. The five-foot-nine winger had 10 goals, 14 assists, a plus-three rating, and three game-winning goals (including two in OT) in 31 games played this year before he was called up to Adirondack on January 30. While he was in Adirondack, the Riga, Latvia native notched two goals, three assists, and a minus-three rating in 13 games played for the North Division-leading Thunder. Last season as a rookie, the left-shot speedster tallied 10 goals, 22 assists, and a plus-12 rating in 53 regular season games before adding one assist over five games during Roanoke’s run to the President’s Cup title. Marcinkevics previously suited up for teams in the NAHL, EHL, and NCDC before his professional career began.
Filion is in his first year with the Dawgs, and notched eight goals, five assists, and a plus-two rating in the first 20 games of his rookie year in Roanoke. The 21-year old recorded one goal, one assist, four penalty minutes, and a minus-four rating in 12 games played for Trois-Riviéres. Filion also appeared in three games for the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers back in November, registering four shots on goal and a minus-one plus/minus rating during his time in the ECHL. The right-shot winger’s four game-winning goals still rank tied for second among all SPHL rookies, despite the fact that he hasn’t appeared for the Dawgs since January 7. The Plessisville, Quebec native previously played four seasons of junior hockey in one of Canada’s top junior leagues, the QMJHL. In 236 combined regular season and playoff games, the six-foot-one forward recorded 44 goals, 63 assists, 91 penalty minutes, and a plus-three rating.
O’Kane joined the Dawgs from Wilkes University (NCAA-DIII), where he played for four seasons. The six-foot forward had 10 goals, 18 assists, 45 penalty minutes, and a plus-11 rating in 27 games during his senior season, and ended his collegiate career at Wilkes with 23 goals, 42 assists, and 78 penalty minutes over 82 career games played. O’Kane made his lone appearance for the Dawgs in Roanoke’s 2-1 overtime loss to Knoxville on Saturday, but Roanoke will maintain his SPHL rights by placing him on team suspension and O’Kane will still be eligible to be selected for the 2024-2025 protected list at the end of this current season. Before his college career, the Chicago native played three seasons of junior hockey for the Charlotte Rush in the USPHL Elite and Premier divisions, ending his final year as the captain of the USPHL Premier team. O’Kane notched 51 goals, 95 assists, and 154 penalty minutes in 136 combined games played between the two divisions.
Rickett joined the Dawgs from Johnson & Wales University (NCAA-DIII), where he played for two seasons after transferring from Norwich University (NCAA-DIII). The six-foot forward appeared in three games for the Dawgs, registering three shots on goal and a minus-one rating. Rickett had 13 goals, nine assists, and 10 penalty minutes in 24 games as the team captain this season for Johnson & Wales. Last season, the Portland, Maine native tallied six goals, six assists, and 33 penalty minutes in 25 games played. During two seasons at Norwich, Rickett had a combined five goals and eight penalty minutes in 14 total games. Before his college career, the 24-year-old forward had suited up for four junior teams in three different leagues – the EHL, NCDC, and USPHL Premier. In 91 combined games over two years at the junior level, Rickett totaled 65 goals, 59 assists, and 125 penalty minutes.
The Rail Yard Dawgs visit the Knoxville Ice Bears on Friday night, March 8 at 7:35 P.M. EST at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, and you can watch the game on Flo or listen in on Mixlr. Single game tickets for home games are on sale now at Berglund Center box office and online. Group tickets and other ticket packages are on sale now by contacting the Dawgs’ front office.
Photo Credit: Weslie Rouse (Filion/Marcinkevics)
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