The Washington Capitals announced Saturday evening that they have recalled goaltender Zach Fucale from Hershey.
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The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Zach Fucale from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Fucale, 27, has posted a record of 10-6-1 with one shutout, a 2.60 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage in 17 games with Hershey this season. The 6’2″, 193-pound goaltender ranks tied for third in the AHL in wins and shutouts.
Fucale appeared in four games with Washington during the 2021-22 season, posting a record of 1-1-1 with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Fucale stopped all 21 shots faced in his NHL and Capitals debut at Detroit on Nov. 11, 2021, becoming the first Capital in franchise history to record a shutout in his debut. Additionally, Fucale set an NHL record for the longest career-opening shutout sequence (138:07), passing former Minnesota Wild goaltender Matt Hackett’s mark of 102:48 by over 35 minutes at Minnesota on Jan. 8.
The Laval, Quebec native appeared in 31 games with Hershey in 2021-22, posting an 11-15-5 record with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. The 6’2″, 189-pound goaltender recorded three shutouts, which led Hershey and set an AHL single-season career high. In 128 career AHL games with Hershey, the Syracuse Crunch, Chicago Wolves, Laval Rocket and St. John’s IceCaps, Fucale has a record of 58-55-10 with seven shutouts, a 2.79 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.
Fucale was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round, 36th overall, in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Does this mean that Kuemper is going to be out longer? Who is going down if Fucale is coming up…..Shepard who never got into a game? Surely the Caps anrt going to carry 3 goalies until Kuemper gets back.
Listening to Bears radio right now, it sounds like something may have occurred today (injury/illness to Hunter Shepard or Darcy Kuemper). But it’s not known for sure. I suspect Shepard may be sick or may have suffered an injury in morning skate, and Fucale will be the backup against Maple Leafs. Stevenson was expected to get the start tonight for Bears, as a middle game of a 3-in-3, so it’s more or less a shuffling of backups.
Shepard out with upper body injury.
bummer. For him (doesn’t get an NHL game), for Caps (can’t see how he copes), for Bears (who had to get a temp), and for Rays (who had to keep a temp).
Thanks for the update Jon, more dependable that a one timer for Ovie!!
Thanks Druid! 🙏👊
Rays were 0-0 end of first and . . . nothing more. Can’t find any updates on their site, Mixlr, EXHL.
Fucale has been struggling big time, but they really don’t have another option.
We talk about how deep the Caps goalie pipeline is but both Rays and Bears are having to use hurriedly acquired temps from outside that pipeline.
The depth goes away real quick.