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Final Score: Detroit 3 - Colorado 2

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Nicklas Lidstrom scored the go-ahead goal on the power play midway through the third period, lifting Detroit to a 3-2 win over Colorado in the first NHL game after the Olympic break.

It's been a whirlwind in the last 48 hours for Detroit head coach Mike Babcock - from guiding Canada to an overtime win over the United States in the gold medal game at the Olympics on Sunday - and now back on the bench to see his club win two in a row for the first time since early January.

Tomas Holmstrom added a goal and two assists for Detroit, which also received a score from Johan Franzen. Jimmy Howard made 22 saves, including stopping all nine shots he faced in the final period.

Detroit beat Ottawa in its final contest before the Olympic break, but this marked its first time with back-to-back wins since January 7 and 9 at Los Angeles and San Jose. The Red Wings also moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Calgary for the last playoff spot.

"We had a team meeting and we told ourselves that we had to make a decision that we needed to play better to get in," Babcock said. "We can't lose one and then win one. We have to dig in and have the will and determination to get it done."

Chris Stewart and T.J. Galiardi had the goals for the Avalanche, who remain tied with Vancouver atop the Northwest Division. Craig Anderson made 27 saves for Colorado, which has lost two in a row since a four-game winning streak.

Lidstrom gave Detroit a 3-2 edge with 9:03 remaining. Holmstrom passed the puck from the right corner to Pavel Datsyuk in the right circle and he delivered a drop pass to Lidstrom. Then came a blast for Lidstrom's seventh goal of the season.

"Datsyuk was coming across. I was looking at him," Anderson said. "I've got to respect the shot. I was out of position. He made a great nifty drop pass to set up the shot."

The score came as the Red Wings were able to capitalize on a tripping penalty on Kyle Quincey.

"The puck just seemed to go over my stick so accidentally I got the assist," Datsyuk said. "We needed a good start after the Olympics and this was a good push."

The Avs pulled Anderson from net in the final two minutes, but were unable to generate a decent scoring chance.

Holmstrom scored 6:06 into the game. Datsyuk passed the puck from the right circle to the front, where Holmstrom put in his 16th goal of the season.

Franzen made it 2-0 with a power play marker with 7:20 left in the same period, depositing the disc into the net from the left side.

Detroit nearly had a three-goal lead 6:28 into the second, but the score was waived off by referee Kerry Fraser. Holmstrom was in the crease and was knocked into Anderson when the puck went into the net.

Colorado managed to cut the deficit in half off a scramble in front with Galiardi tucking the disc under the pads of Howard at the 8:29 mark.

Brandon Yip was denied on a breakaway for the Avalanche moments later, but Colorado tied it with 8:46 left in the period on Stewart's 20th score of the season on a shot from the left circle.