ST. PAUL, Minn. – Gustav Nyquist has been the NHL’s hottest goal-scorer the past two months. Jimmy Howard is delivering big saves at key moments. Veterans like Daniel Alfredsson and David Legwand have stepped up.

But after Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center, Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock singled out the effort of a group of grinders on another late penalty kill to demonstrate the determination his team has played with these past few games. It's the kind of resolve this group must continue to show the final three weeks of the season in its playoff push.

“That’s what I like about our group the most,” Babcock said. “We got some determined, determined people.

“When I watch (Luke) Glendening, (Drew) Miller and Helmer (Darren Helm) on the kill, they’re digging in, they’re competitive. That stuff is contagious for our whole group.”

Winners of three in a row, the Red Wings (33-24-13, 79 points) are finding ways to get the job done, when earlier this season they were squandering too many points. They nudged one point ahead of Columbus for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

“We need two points every night,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said.

Nyquist snapped a 2-2 tie by snapping a wrist shot past goaltender Darcy Kuemper off a rush at 5:19 of the third period. The Red Wings killed a holding penalty on Kronwall with 3:27 remaining to seal the win.

“Real big for us,” Babcock said. “Howie played real good again, we had excellent specialty teams and got contribution from everyone.

“It was a muddy track. There was no room for either team; it was check, check, check. We found a way to get it done.”

Nyquist has scored a goal in four consecutive games (five during this stretch), has an NHL-best 16 goals since Jan. 20, and leads the team with 21.

“Us Maine guys I guess know how to do it right,” Howard said of his fellow University of Maine alum.

“Smitty (Brendan Smith) made a good pass to (Riley) Sheahan in the middle; he made a great kick-out pass to me on the right side,” Nyquist said. “I tried to cut the middle. Tats (Tomas Tatar) does a great job driving through, driving the other D down.

“In the end, it’s his goal, really. I know he’s screening the goalie, I just tried to put it on net.”

Nyquist chalked up his hot streak to “some pretty good bounces and deflections.”

“Obviously, getting great passes, too,” Nyquist said. “Guess I just try to put the puck on net as much as possible.”

Said Babcock: “He can shoot it. As those kids get more confidence they’ll shoot it more.”

Johan Franzen was at the center of a couple of plays that didn’t go Detroit’s way in the third.

First, he tripped Charlie Coyle, leading to Coyle’s penalty-shot goal that tied it 15 seconds into the period. Then, referee Dean Morton ruled Franzen made incidental contact with Kuemper, nullifying a goal by Smith at 6:30 that would have given his team a 4-2 lead.

In the end, it didn’t matter.

“We didn’t force anything,” Howard said. “We did a great job against their top line -- (Mikael) Granlund, (Jason) Pominville and (Zach) Parise, didn’t give them much; they’ve been so dangerous lately.”

The teams meet again Sunday at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network exclusive).

The Red Wings got a power-play goal in each of the first two periods, after Mikko Koivu’s goal on the man-advantage opened the scoring at 5:38 of the first.

Smith backhanded in the rebound of a shot by David Legwand that hit the post at 10:34 of the first. Legwand scored his seconds goal in nine games as a Red Wing at 17:24 of the second, converting a nice backhand pass by Sheahan (two assists).

“I thought (Jakub) Kindl (two assists) was real good on (the power play), slid to the middle and opened up the flanks for us,” Babcock said.

The Red Wings got a scare at 4:01 of the first when Kronwall slid into the boards hitting his head and shoulder. He returned later in the period after passing concussion tests.

He’s a player this injury-ravaged team can’t afford to lose.

“We’re on a little bit of a roll,” Nyquist said. “Let’s keep this good thing going into tomorrow.”