It’s hard to read too much into early November games when the hockey season stretches to April, but sweeping Hartford on the heels of a five-game losing streak certainly gives the Portland Pirates a lift.

The Pirates beat Hartford 3-2 before a crowd of 4,157 Friday night at Cross Insurance Arena as goaltender Mike McKenna made 23 saves.

The Wolf Pack have lost six straight, including a 6-2 loss in Portland on Wednesday night.

“I kind of live by the ethos that every game is equally important,” McKenna said. “These points are worth just as much as later. But I think it would be naïve to think that us winning these two straight wasn’t a great step forward for us.”

John McFarland, Sena Acolatse and Logan Shaw scored for the Pirates (5-6), who never trailed during the two-game series. Friday’s game also showed off a gritty side of the Pirates, with Jonathan Racine leaping to the defense of Acolatse after Acolatse got leveled by Hartford’s Chad Nehring and Connor Brickley dropping his gloves (an invitation that was declined) after McFarland got deposited into the visiting bench.

“These last two games felt like we were coming together as a team,” McKenna said. “Guys were blocking shots, selling out to make a play for the team’s sake, and we’re moving as units up the ice.”

The Wolf Pack (6-8-1) went a combined 0 for 8 on the power play in the two-game series, and wasted all three chances Friday night in the first period. McFarland made it 1-0 for Portland when he skated an inverted C from his own blue line toward the left boards and swooped back in front of the net.

“Speed is one of my strengths,” said McFarland, who also had an assist. “Their D kind of backed off and as soon as I saw that, it was ‘Let’s find a way to get to the net.’ I was able to get past that D and just slip the five-hole.”

McFarland plays on the first line with Rob Schrempt and Brickley, each of whom assisted on the goal. They connected again early in the second period with Brickley and McFarland setting up Acolatse in the slot.

“I just jumped up in the play as a fourth man,” Acolatse said. “Bricks made a really nice pass, right in my wheelhouse, so it was pretty easy for me to put it away.”

It was Acolatse who squared off with Hartford’s Tanner Glass three seconds into Wednesday’s game to inject some life into the home team and home crowd.

“We had been on a skid so I thought I’d do my part to fire up the boys,” he said.

The Wolf Pack cut the lead in half four minutes later when Adam Tambellini scored. The Pirates made it 3-1 midway through the second when Brett Olson fed Logan Shaw in the slot for a quick shot that beat goalie MacKenzie Skapski.

Hartford’s Ryan Bourque scored the only goal of the third.

NOTES: The Pirates wore stars-and-stripes uniforms for Military Appreciation Night and (coincidence?) signed forward Derek Army to a tryout contract. He’s the son of Tim Army, who coached Portland from 2002- 2005.