HARTFORD, Conn. — At the start of the week, the Portland Pirates appeared to have control of their first-round American Hockey League playoff series against the Connecticut Whale.

Then came the two-game trip to Hartford. With Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at the XL Center, the Whale tied the best-of-seven Atlantic Division semifinals and sent the series back to Portland.

“They didn’t quit,” Pirates center Mark Voakes said of the Whale. “They kept coming. They were working hard and we were maybe, a little too relaxed, coming in there after an emotional Game 2. We just weren’t able to get it going. I don’t know why, but we need to find it.”

The series continues at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

The Pirates couldn’t break through the Whale’s defense until late in the third period when Voakes scored, and they again couldn’t capitalize on their power play opportunities — seven in Tuesday’s loss, including a pair of 5-on-3 chances in the second period.

“Playoffs, if you’re going to have a good run in the playoffs, special teams is the key,” Voakes said. “Our (penalty killing) has been solid but our (power play) hasn’t. It’s just the reality of it. We need to get that sorted out.”

Of their 20 shots on goal, the Pirates had few quality scoring chances and had to contend with a Whale defense that effectively protected Whale goalie Dov Grumet-Morris (19 saves) by blocking shots and limiting Portland’s second chances on offense.

“You see a guy like (Pavel) Valentenko block, probably, 100 shots,” Whale right wing Mats Zuccarello-Aasen said. “Some other guys, too, blocked shots and the forwards chipped in.”

With Pirates Corey Tropp and Luke Adam each penalized for tripping in the final six minutes of the first (at 14:34 and at 15:22), Chad Kolarik gave the Whale a 1-0 lead on a 5-on-3 with 3:28 left in the first on a power-play goal.

Kolarik camped at the bottom of the right circle, took a pass from Justin Williams and beat Pirates goalie David Leggio (27 saves) on a wrist shot.

“It’s good to get that 5-on-3,” said Kolarik, who missed the first three games of the series because of a knee injury. “You’ve got a lot of time with the puck.

“Once you get that going and get that adrenaline going, it gets the confidence up. And a guy with confidence is tough to stop.”

John Mitchell gave Connecticut a 2-0 lead at 4:45 of the second, beating Leggio on a breakaway. Then 4:48 into the third, Zuccarello-Aasen, in his first game since being reassigned to Connecticut by the New York Rangers earlier this week, took a pass from Kolarik in front of the net and scored to give the Whale a 3-0 lead before Voakes’ goal with 7:37 left.

Now, the Pirates must return trip to Portland — with a guaranteed return to Hartford.

“We’ve just got to start fresh,” Voakes said. “Give them credit. They got down 2-0 (in the series) and they battled back hard in their barn. . . . I think we’ve just got to get back to being more urgent and having a little more of a compete level.”

NOTES: Among the 2,581 listed in attendance at the XL Center was NHL Hall of Famer Gordie Howe. Howe played for three seasons in Hartford, two with the New England Whalers of the WHA and one with the Hartford Whalers in their inaugural NHL season in 1979-1980. . . . Dennis Persson returned to the lineup for the Pirates, a day after he was recalled on an emergency basis by the Buffalo Sabres. . . . Mark Mancari was also returned to the Pirates but did not dress.

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at: rlenzi@mainetoday.com