The Wild will hit the Xcel Energy Center ice Thursday breathing some rare air. The team is first in the Northwest Division and second in points in the Western Conference. Minnesota is 6-2 in November and is about to embark on the longest homestand -- six games -- of the season.

The question: How is it winning?

The team is 24th in the NHL with 2.28 goals per game. The power play is 25th, and even the penalty kill has been middle-of-the-pack.

And yet, the beat goes on. Despite a top line that is struggling to find it's scoring touch. In the face of a slew of injuries.

Wild coach Mike Yeo is reluctant to talk about his team as though it has arrived. "Process" has been the buzzword since he arrived, and that hasn't changed.

"This is the team we are, but not the team we're going to be," he said. "We're happy with where we've gotten so far, and there are things to feel good about. Having said that, they're not handing out awards for being in first place in our division right now."

But there are some clear reasons why the Wild is in first place.

• The young defensemen. Veterans Greg Zanon (groin) and Mike Lundin (back) are out, but Justin Falk, Marco Scandella and Nate Prosser are rookies gobbling up a lot of quality ice time. Scandella was making huge strides before he suffered a concussion Saturday. Second-year player Jared Spurgeon has been another revelation.

"It has been so impressive to see them come in and play with such poise," said center Matt Cullen. "And that's in big games, playing big minutes, being on the ice at ends of games. That speaks volumes."

The Wild will get even younger on the blue line. Marek Zidlicky left Tuesday's victory in Columbus and might have a concussion. Kris Fredheim, 24, and like Prosser a former Colorado College defenseman, was a plus-7 in 15 games at Houston and was called up Wednesday.

• The goaltending. This goes hand-in-hand with strong team defensive play, but Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding have played well. In 10 Wild victories, the goaltender has had to face 31 or more shots eight times, 37 or more four times. The Wild goalies rank second in the league with a 2.01 goals-against average.

• The character. The Wild has shown some true grit, most recently by bouncing back from a Saturday night loss in Los Angeles with consecutive victories in Anaheim and Columbus to close out a five-game road swing.

• Intangibles: The Wild has won five times this season after allowing the first goal, second only to Washington (seven). No team has allowed fewer third-period goals than the Wild (10). That means the team doesn't give up or give in.

Said Yeo: "We have a team full of fighters. When the game's on the line they're fighting, blocking shots, collapsing in front of the net, in scrambles. They find a way [to come back], and to protect a lead. Again, it's not perfect, but inside our locker room there is a lot of fight."

• The message. It's clear the players have bought into Yeo, a first-year coach. The bounce back from the L.A. loss is the latest example. Yeo clearly does a good job explaining what he wants from his players.

"There is a totally different feeling around here, as far as how good our confidence actually is," Cal Clutterbuck said. "A lot of people say there is a process going on. It's a lot different when there is a clear indication of what that process is."

• Balance. The top line, with Mikko Koivu and Dany Heatley, has not scored consistently, but the Wild is winning with scoring depth. Cullen is off to a strong start, and the Wild has been getting production all down the lines, particularly from the third line centered by Kyle Brodziak.

It's natural to wonder how good the Wild can be if the top line clicks, the penalty kill continues to improve and the Wild starts scoring more on the power play.

"We know we're not where we need to be," Cullen said. "We've played some good hockey, gotten some outstanding goaltending. But there is a lot of room for improvement."