Grizz drop second on road trip

HARTFORD, Conn. — After battling back in the third period to tie the American Hockey League's second-best team, the Utah Grizzlies eventually lost 2-1 Friday to Hartford, falling to 0-2 on their current eight-game road trip.

The Grizzlies played a solid first period behind the line of Jarrod Skalde, Mike Stutzel and Randall Gelech. Stutzel had two great chances, set Skalde up for another and Gelech had a break-away that he couldn't pull the trigger on.

Each team had 11 shots on goal, but Hartford's Jason LaBarbera showed why he is the No. 1 goaltender and the reigning AHL MVP, making 11 solid saves. Jean-Marc Pelletier was not tested as much but still was solid keeping the Wolf Pack at bay.

Hartford scored the first goal of the game early in the second period, when Dominic Moore dropped a pass back to Jeff Hamilton, who snapped a shot from the center of the left wing circle past Pelletier for his eighth goal of the season.

Utah battled back in the third period, tying the game on Randall Gelech's sixth goal of the season, assisted by Jarrod at the 1:07 mark.

With the score tied, Jamie Lundmark made a move across the goal line and had the puck roll off his stick across the goal-mouth to Chad Wiseman, who buried the puck behind Pelletier for his ninth goal of the season.

Hartford outshot the Grizzlies 11-6 in the third period and finished the game with a 27-23 advantage. LaBarbera won his league-leading 17th game of the season, making 22 saves. Pelletier made 25 saves.

The Grizzlies take on the Wolf Pack again tonight at the Hartford Civic Center. Face-off is scheduled for 5:05 p.m.

NOTES: Goaltender Frank Doyle was recalled Friday from the Idaho Steelheads, the Grizzlies' primary ECHL affiliate. Doyle, 24, is third in the ECHL with 12 wins and seventh with a 2.07 goals against average. The University of Maine product played one game with the Grizzlies during the preseason, making 34 saves in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Edmonton Road Runners.