Every clank and ping sounded like the bell for last call. The Red Wings were nearing closing time, running out of shots, and in a season of wild swings, this was the height of desperation.

And then they summoned the trait they’ve counted on all year, a precocious refusal to admit defeat, even when it seems imminent. If there’s a moment this Wings rebuild caught wind, this could be it, a frantic 5-4 overtime victory over Montreal Monday night that lit Little Caesars Arena as loudly as it’s ever been lit. From a 4-1 deficit late in the second period, the Wings unleashed an onslaught, pushed by a manic crowd, driven by a rising star.

Their stunning comeback kept their season alive. They don’t have a playoff spot just yet, but they have a chance because their scoring whiz, 22-year-old Lucas Raymond, buried his, fired in the tying and winning goals....

No turning back now. It’s been a season of modest growth, regardless. But missing the playoffs would be a disappointment, which means Tuesday night’s game will be just as tense against a Montreal team with nothing to lose.

“I know emotions are high, but we gotta channel it,” Lalonde sad. “It’s not a lot of rah-rah, it’s turn the page and again here we are. Going into the season, no one had us in the playoffs, most people picked us seventh in the division. If you would’ve told us we had one game out of 82, on the road, to improve 11 points over the previous season, every single one of us would’ve signed up for it. It’s here now.”

It’s here now because Raymond is here now, with five goals in his past three games, up to 31. It’s here now because after enduring a seven-game losing streak in March, the Wings were rejuvenated by the return of captain Dylan Larkin, who has led in every way, setting up Raymond’s winner in overtime.

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