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Zachary Fucale was the last player off the ice Wednesday at Place Bell. That’s the way the world works when you’re one of three goaltenders on a team and constantly draw the short straw.

After spending two hours at practice — including a stint on the bench, forlornly watching the Laval Rocket scrimmage — there were six bottles of water awaiting Fucale at his dressing room stall.

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“At least I get my work in,” Fucale said. “I’m not wasting time, not taking it easy. Since I’m not playing, I might as well work on the little things.

“At the end of the day it’s upon me to keep that work ethic, even though times aren’t necessarily easy to deal with. That’s okay. It’s part of life. I believe it’ll pay off.”

Coming out of junior, Fucale was one of the leading netminding prospects, seemingly destined for stardom. Playing for Halifax, he set a Quebec league record for most wins by a rookie. In November 2012, he was rated the top North American goaltending prospect by the NHL’s Central Scouting Bureau.