HARTFORD -- When you average 30 goals a year and the meter hasn't started to click in the first six games, no doubt even center Cory Larose had to be wondering a bit when the first one might find the net.
Larose, who has generated points with regularity the past two seasons in the AHL including 75 last winter, had managed just one assist in five games this year.
His numbers changed after Sunday's 2-2 tie with the Lowell Lock Monsters.
Not only did Larose finally get on the board -- his power-play goal at 16:11 put Hartford into the lead -- but he got involved throughout and did his best to create scoring chances as well as make a determined effort to play smart without the puck.
"I've been a notorious slow starter going back to youth hockey but I don't really know why," Larose said. "It's not like I've played poorly or anything in the first four games, but I got involved more in games on Saturday and Sunday. That's the way I can and have to play.
"I need to be a little more physical, get in the corners and work hard for the puck," Larose said. "When I don't do that, I'm not playing to my potential."
Maximizing effort is what Pack coach Ryan McGill has sought this season from newcomers and veterans on Hartford. Maybe there was a reason why Larose didn't dress for Friday's game in Bridgeport.
"When Cory's involved like the last two games," McGill said, "he plays well. He was good on the power play, got involved, was dead tired at the end of the game and looked sore from getting hit, but that's how he needs to play.
"Like a lot of young players, Cory gets himself in trouble when he stays on the perimeter," McGill said. "He needs to get involved out there, maintain that consistently and on a regular basis. If he can maintain that, he won't be here very long."
Playing with grit and taking away passing lanes isn't really a radical change from the tail end of last year when Larose joined the Wolf Pack in a swap from Houston or with the Aeros in 2001-02 when he notched a career-best 32 goals.
It's been a defensive-first approach thus far and it's tough to argue with the early results: a 4-0-2-1 start and 11 points in seven games, the top perch in the Atlantic Division and among the league's top clubs in fewest goals allowed (11).
"It's early, but everyone here has bought into the system and it can be successful," Larose said.
Hartford's power-play unit hasn't been that successful this season (3-for-28) but Larose's goal -- during a 4-on-3 situation -- put the Pack into the lead. It was a one-timer from the left point that cleanly beat Lowell goalie Patrick DesRochers.
The Wolf Pack pushed their lead to 2-0 at 4:09 of the second period when captain Ken Gernander used his speed to get free and finished a nice series of passes from Jed Ortmeyer and Lucas Lawson.
Goalie Jason LaBarbera (22 saves) turned in another strong game. He's off to a 3-1-2 start, a 1.77 GAA and a sharp .926 save percentage by denying 139 of 150 shots.
LaBarbera and the Pack carried a 2-0 lead into the final three minutes of the game only to have Lowell rally to earn a point.
Matt Davidson, with 2:23 to play, got behind the Hartford defense to make it 2-1 and with DesRochers (29 saves) pulled for the extra attacker, one-time Ranger top pick Pavel Brendl nailed the equalizer with 26 seconds left in regulation.
Still, the result capped a strong weekend for the Wolf Pack that began with a 3-2 OT win over Bridgeport on Friday and followed a 2-0 shutout of Manchester on Saturday when Phil Osaer, in his Pack debut, stopped 18 shots.
"We're a little frustrated to be tied," Larose said. "But we did get five of six (possible) points."
As for closing out games, what worked in Saturday's 2-0 win over Manchester didn't against Lowell (4-2-1) which snapped a two-game losing streak.
"Games like this can only help us," Larose said. "The more games we play that are close, the better we'll be."