ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced on Monday that defenseman Johnny Macdonald has returned from his call-up with the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Additionally, defenseman Cory Doney has been placed on the 14-day injured reserve, retroactive to November 17.
MacDonald began his fourth professional season in Reading’s training camp this fall but returned to Roanoke after he was waived on October 13. The 24-year-old played in six games for Reading between two stints after he was initially called up to the ECHL on October 28, released earlier last week before returning to Roanoke, but then rejoined the Royals on November 21 before he was placed on waivers on Sunday. The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania native got off to a hot start this season for Roanoke, tallying two goals and two assists through Roanoke’s first four games, including an overtime game-winning goal on October 26 at Peoria. After appearing in three games for Roanoke in the 2022-2023 season, the six-foot-two blue-liner broke out last season with six goals, 16 assists, a plus-11 rating, and 61 penalty minutes in 36 regular season games for the Dawgs after signing with Roanoke on December 13, 2023. The remainder of Macdonald’s pro experience to date came with the FPHL’s Danbury Hat Tricks, where the left-shot defenseman had 15 goals, 59 assists, and 96 penalty minutes in 98 regular season games while adding eight assists in 14 career playoff games for the Hat Tricks. Macdonald was a strong contributor in Danbury’s FPHL’s Commissioner’s Cup title run in the 2022-2023 season.
Doney is in his rookie professional season after playing three seasons at SUNY-Plattsburgh (NCAA-DIII) from 2020-2023. In his first year with the Dawgs, Doney has one assist, four penalty minutes, and a minus-two plus/minus rating in six games so far for Roanoke. In 34 career games played at Plattsburgh, the six-foot defenseman recorded seven goals, six assists, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-17 rating from the blue line. Prior to his collegiate career, Doney played in the EHL for his junior hockey with the Vermont Lumberjacks. The Northfield Falls, Vermont native is the seventh player from Plattsburgh to suit up with the Dawgs since the franchise’s inception in 2016. Doney will be eligible to be activated off of the injured reserve on December 1.
The Rail Yard Dawgs are back at home on Wednesday, November 27 against the Macon Mayhem. Puck drop is slated for 7:05 P.M. EST at Berglund Center. Single game tickets for the season are on sale now online and at Berglund Center box office.
Photo Credit: Michele Hancock
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