DALLAS (AP) — Dallas finally went into the locker room with a lead in the Western Conference finals.

The Stars needed nearly 11 full periods, a debatable call that wiped out a Detroit goal and a favorable ruling on their score to accomplish that.

But the top-seeded Red Wings responded quickly, scoring less than a minute into the third period of Game 4 to tie it.

For the desperate Stars, trying to avoid a sweep and elimination on home ice Wednesday night, it might have been easy to give in, avoid a trip back to Detroit and get the summer vacation started. Instead, Dallas came back strong and will play again after a 3-1 victory.

‘‘When you’re in the situation we are, where there’s no tomorrow, you might as well keep playing,’’ coach Dave Tippett said. ‘‘The guys talked about it, as soon as it happened on the bench, ‘That’s not going to deter us tonight.’ ... You just love to see that, the character.’’

Mike Modano’s one-timer from the middle of the