You can anoint a lot of heroes from the 3-1 comeback win the Detroit Red Wings posted over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena.

J.T. Compher netted the tying goal early in the third period. Late in the frame, it was Alex DeBrincat who would pounce on a Mike Matheson turnover for the eventual game-winner. Between the pipes, John Gibson turned aside 31 shots for his 26th win of the season.

It was Andrew Copp who put the comeback win on ice with an empty-net tally. And it was Copp coming back from a three-game injury absence due to a lower-body injury that would prove to be a significant spark in the Detroit victory celebration.

“Yeah, yeah, he was great,” DeBrincat said of Copp. “He was awesome.”

Copp skated 18:19 in his return to action, which, based on the original medical diagnosis, was about a week ahead of schedule.

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Playoff races tend to have a way of making pain not hurt.

“Well, it says a lot about him,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said, alluding to the unique healing powers that Copp evidently possesses. “You know, committed to rehab, committed to trusting our staff, and it says a lot about the staff to get him back that quickly.

“But he was really determined he was playing, and what can I say? He gave us great minutes. So we’re really happy to have him back.”

Red Wings Need Copp On Patrol

Since much of what he does on the ice is a nuanced role, Copp can fly under the radar in the eyes of the average fan. However, the fact of the matter is that much of what he does for Detroit is of great value to the team.

“Playing against their top line most of the night and playing that shutdown role,” DeBrincat listed among Copp’s key contributions.

Copp skated on power play (1:25) and the penalty kill (1:20). He won seven of 17 draws.

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“He’s a big part of our team,” DeBrincat said. “Good to see him back out there, and yeah, I think on that empty night goal, you can see he’s got his knee back.

“He’s flying out there. So it’s good to see him contribute there.”

Last season, Copp went out on February 22 with a season-ending pectoral injury. He suffered it in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild. The damage was surgically repaired.

Without him, Detroit lost six of the next eight games and nine out of 13, steadily slipping out of playoff contention.

Getting him back this season proved to be a magic elixir for the Red Wings. Detroit is still missing centers Dylan Larkin and Michael Rasmussen, and winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.

“We’re working on a couple more, and the sooner we can get healthy, the better,” McLellan said.