Chris Tanev helps Wolves top Griffins

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Mark Mancari scored his first home goal of the season Sunday. | Ross Dettman~Chicago Wolves

Updated: January 13, 2012 8:22AM

It’s not an accident that Chris Tanev finds himself in the middle of the Wolves’ turnaround.

The 21-year-old defenseman has made an effort to
be more assertive offensively, particularly on the power play.

Tanev had six assists in the three games the Wolves played during the weekend, including two in a 3-1 victory Sunday against the Grand Rapids Griffins at Allstate Arena. All eight of Tanev’s points have come in the Wolves’ last five games.

‘‘When I’m out there on the power play, [I’m] trying to make more plays, but I just have to keep it simple for the most part,’’ Tanev said.

‘‘I expect myself to play good two-way hockey, so I definitely want to get some points. But I definitely prefer not getting scored against and being good in my own end. That’s my job.’’

Tanev’s first assist came on a short-handed goal by Ryan Parent at 4:19 of the first period. It was the Wolves’ second short-handed goal in as many games.

But it has been the power play that has carried the Wolves (11-9-1-3) in their last two games, and Tanev has been a big part of it. Two of his three assists in a 4-2 victory Saturday against the Milwaukee Admirals came on the power play, and he also assisted on Mark Mancari’s goal with the man
advantage at 10:44 of the first period against the Griffins. It was Mancari’s first home goal of the season.

‘‘He felt a lot of pressure early to score, and when that wasn’t happening, that kind of compounded the pressure he was feeling,’’ Wolves coach Craig MacTavish said of Mancari. ‘‘Now he’s settling in, and good things are happening.’’

Wolves goalie Matt Climie suffered a groin injury at 15:24 of the second period and had to be taken off the ice. He was replaced by
Eddie Lack.

Mancari tweaked his left ankle when he was slashed in the second period, and Darren Haydar sat out with a lower-body injury.

Haydar and Climie are day-to-day, and Mancari is expected to play on the road Thursday against the Charlotte Checkers.