Here's a before pic

Here is a link that might be useful: Before

Here's a pic of mound.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Here are examples of shoot coming through spots

Here is a link that might be useful:

Looks like snow mold to me. Snow mold is typically benign, as long as your crowns aren't affected. Your lawn should grow out of it in a month or so. Raking your lawn lightly to unmat the blades should help the new blades grow though the dead ones. I have some patches myself, and I'm in CT too. I'm not worried...yet.

Just the guy I was hoping would respond :) thanks tiemco. My plan is to cut low w/o scalping, light overseed and some fert. As soon as the forsythia begins to bloom. What do you think?
Thank you

If it's grey snow mold, it will recover fine. Like tiemco said, just rake and wait.

I would probably hold off on the overseed unless you see that you have areas of no grass. A low cut after a light raking is a good idea. I usually do my first cut lower than normal, especially if there is some rain due in the next day or two. The only fert I would use would be organic until late spring. No need to force topgrowth early in the season.

It may be a long shot but have you considered that it may be an animal that's causing the mess? We had a lawn that looked v similar to this about 2 years ago and were very puzzled as to what it could be - did a bit of research and discovered that it was the nitrate's in our dog's urine causing the burn. We used a product called Dog Rocks - which filters the excess nitrates from their drinking water, and have a had a lush green lawn ever since! I think you can buy it in most general pet stores. It was a lifesaver for our lawn!