Forwards Danick Paquette and Barry Almeida Join the Royals

Forward Kirk MacDonald Makes Second Trip of the Season to Houston

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, today announced that, in separate transactions, the Washington Capitals assigned forward Danick Paquette from Hershey to the Royals; and (ii) the Bears loaned forward Barry Almeida to the Royals. In another transaction announced today, the Royals loaned forward Kirk MacDonald to the Houston Aeros. This is the second trip to Reading for Paquette, a third year pro from Montreal, Quebec. He was originally assigned to the Royals on December 15 and recorded four points (1g-3a) and sixty-two penalty minutes in fourteen games before being recalled to Hershey on February 7. In two games with the Bears, Paquette has five penalty minutes. This is also the second trip of the year to Reading for Almeida, a first year pro from Springfield, Massachusetts. He was first loaned to Reading on November 21 and registered nineteen points (7g-12a) and played to a plus-10 (+10) in twenty-one games with the Royals before being recalled by the Bears on January 12. In thirty-eight games with Hershey this season, Almeida has fourteen points (6g-8a) and ten penalty minutes. This is the second trip of the year to Houston for MacDonald, a sixth year pro from Victoria, British Columbia. He was originally loaned to the Aeros on February 5 and picked up four penalty minutes in four games with Houston. He was returned to Reading last Friday and promptly factored in both goals—which included scoring the GWG—in the Royals’ playoff clinching 2-0 win over Elmira that night. In forty-five games with the Royals this season, MacDonald has thirty-five points (14g-21a) and fifty-two penalty minutes. The Royals kick off a four game road trip starting tonight (Wednesday, March 20 @ 7:30 pm) at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Reading will face off against the Fort Wayne Komets. The Game Day Broadcast on Wednesday starts at 7:00 pm on CBS Sports Radio (1240 am and 98.5 fm) with the pre-game warm-up show brought to you by Steve Moyer Subaru. As with all Royals’ road games this season, Wednesday’s game will be televised locally in Berks County, Pennsylvania, courtesy of Boscov’s Travel and Apple Vacations. Royals multi-game flex plans for the 2012-13 season presented by Steve Moyer Subaru are available at 610-898-7825 and through the Royals website: www.royalshockey.com. Don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook at Reading Royals and "Follow" us on Twitter @RRoyalshockey for the latest team information.