DENVER, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Jason LaBarbera made 33 saves to record his second shutout of the year Thursday and carry the Phoenix Coyotes to a 2-0 victory over Colorado.
With No. 1 goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov temporarily out of action because of what team officials said was a family illness matter, LaBarbera made the most of his 12th start of the season.
He has only six shutouts in a seven-year career that has been spent with four different teams.
Phoenix took the lead midway through the first period on a backhander from Taylor Pyatt and LaBarbera protected the one-goal advantage until Pyatt scored again with an empty-netter that came 20 seconds from the end of the game.
Phoenix has won four of its last eight and had scored 18 goals in its previous four contests.
Craig Anderson was the hard-luck loser, stopping all but one of the 32 shots he faced.
Although Phoenix began the game in last place in the Pacific Division, the victory moved the Coyotes within six points of the front-running Dallas Stars.
