Fucale makes NHL debut

Former Brampton Beast, Orlando Solar Bears, Fort Wayne Komets and South Carolina Stingrays' goaltender Zach Fucale became the 706th former ECHL player to reach the National Hockey League when he debuted with the Washington Capitals on Thursday at Detroit.

Fucale is the eighth former ECHL player to make his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season. He went 61-33-18 in 116 career ECHL appearances from 2016-21 with eight shutouts, a 2.95 goals-against average and a save percentage of .905. Fucale twice reached the 20-win plateau, recording 25 victories with the Beast in 2016-17 and picking up 20 wins with the Komets in 2018-19.

A second-round selection (36th overall) of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Fucale has seen action in 85 career American Hockey League games with St. John's, Laval, Chicago, Syracuse and Hershey with an overall record of 40-34-6 with three shutouts, a 2.82 goals-against average and a save percentage of .905.