It was a homecoming for some players in North Bay, when Brady Lyle and Brett Mckenzie returned with the Owen Sound attack to play their former team.

Thursday's game was anything but typical for Battalion Fans, with a video tribute for former Assistant Captain Brett McKenzie and Brady Lyle’s two goal performance; it may have been difficult to tell who had home ice advantage.

"It was exciting, but it didn't go the way we wanted it to, so at the end of the day it doesn't really matter and I would have rather not scored at all and come out with two points." said Lyle.

Despite a slow start, the physical play of the Battalion proved to be too much the Attack, blowing a 2-0 lead in a 3-2 overtime loss to North Bay.

"There have been so many games this year where the roles have been reversed, like we are 2-7 in extended games. We've gone to overtime and shootouts and have not done very well, so for the guys to win in that situation is important." said Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler.

While it may have been a homecoming for McKenzie and Lyle, it was also the first time newly acquired Battalion Forward Matthew Struthers played his former club, scoring a big goal late in the game to force overtime.

"That's all my buddies from the past two and a half years so I think you could tell I was kind of nervous at the beginning but I settled down in the third there." said Struthers.

Justin Brazeau was the hero once again for the Battalion, scoring the OT winner, tying him for the third leading goal scorer in the league. With the departure of McKenzie and Dineen, he is embracing his role as the team's primary go-to scorer.

"It's definitely more responsibility. I wasn't too pleased with my game tonight, got lucky in overtime, but going forward I've got to keep doing what I do and keep going to those dirty areas." said Brazeau.

Earning a rare overtime win against some former teammates, there was a sense of excitement fans haven't seen this year from the Battalion, who hold a narrow one-point lead for 8th place in the east.  There is hope that it's a turning point on the season which will carry them back into the playoffs, after missing them last year.