FORWARDS TYSON EMPEY AND KEVIN O’NEIL AND DEFENSEMEN JON MCDONALD AND NICK LEIVERMANN RECALLED BY HERSHEY

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The South Carolina Stingrays, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Washington Capitals and AHL's Hershey Bears, announced today that forwards Tyson Empey and Kevin O'Neil and defensemen Jon McDonald and Nick Leivermann have been recalled by Hershey (AHL).

Empey and O'Neil were both top-five scorers for the Stingrays this year. O'Neil, the Stingrays' assist leader this season, contributed significantly to the team's success with 63 points (16 goals, 47 assists). O'Neil finished the season second on the Stingrays in points. Empey, known for his aggressive play, finished the season with 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) and was second on the team in penalty minutes with 119.

O'Neil has one assist in four AHL games for Hershey this season, and Empey has nine penalty minutes in five games for the Bears this year.

Leivermann and McDonald are both in their first full seasons of professional hockey. Leivermann led all Stingrays defensemen with 0.71 points per game and tallied 34 points (10 goals, 34 assists) for South Carolina this season. He has one assist in three AHL games for the Bears this season.

McDonald served as a vital member of the Stingrays defense core this season, skating 64 games for South Carolina and posting a +2 rating while tallying 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists). He has yet to play a game in the AHL.