ROANOKE, VA. – The Rail Yard Dawgs announced Saturday that forward Brenden Stanko has been activated from the injured reserve, while forward Jimmy O’Kane has been placed on the 14-day IR. O’Kane will be eligible to return for the Dawgs on February 1.
Stanko is in his second full year of pro hockey after initially signing with the Dawgs back on November 28, 2023. This season, Stanko has one assist and two penalty minutes in nine games played for the Dawgs. In 34 games for Roanoke last season, Stanko has recorded 11 goals, 19 assists, and a plus-seven rating. He added one goal and one assist in two playoff games before suffering an injury in Game Two of the first round against Quad City. Playing under former Dawg and current Binghamton Black Bears head coach Brant Sherwood, the six-foot-one forward won the FPHL’s Rookie of the Month award to start last season by putting up 12 goals, 15 assists, and a plus-19 plus/minus rating in just 14 games before heading to Roanoke. Before joining the Black Bears, the Howell, Michigan native played five seasons at Adrian College (ACHA), helping the Bulldogs win the 2020-21 ACHA Division One National Championship. In 142 college games, Stanko notched 81 goals and 114 assists.
O’Kane joined the Dawgs late last February from Wilkes University (NCAA-DIII), where he played college hockey for four seasons. O’Kane made his lone appearance for the Dawgs in Roanoke’s 2-1 overtime loss to Knoxville on March 2, and was placed on team suspension on March 6 to finish the remainder of his academic year at Wilkes. In his first full pro season this year, O’Kane has one goal, eight assists, and 42 penalty minutes in 26 games played for Roanoke. 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. 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.
The Rail Yard Dawgs are at home tonight against the Birmingham Bulls for Diesel 500 Night. 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: David Ingraham
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