The North Bay Battalion made a trade, played 60 minutes, and in the process broke a miserable 8-game losing skid with an 8-2 win over the visiting Kingston Frontenacs.
Brett McKenzie's offence woke up as he netted a pair of goals and physical forward Daniel Walker netted a pair of goals, an assist, and a third-period scrap as he completed the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Battalion head coach Stan Butler recognized a better effort including a strong forecheck that resulted in at least three Battalion goals.
"It showed some desire and work ethic and I thought that was something that was missing from our game on Friday so it was nice today to see that and see the guys going hard. Both Walker and Coe got goals I call second effort goals - just goals you get because you give a little bit more than the guy you are up against,” he said.
Walker felt something was different on this day; perhaps the shadow of the Lyle trade request was gone. Regardless, this Troops team came to play Sunday afternoon.
"Right off the bat, I think we came out with energy, which was a big thing,” stated Walker.
“They were three games in 2 and a half (days), and I thought we jumped on them quick and we won all our initial one-on-one battles which was a big thing. We were just throwing pucks to the net and this game we just chucked everything at the net and we even got a few lucky bounces.”
Earlier in the day, the Troops announced they had shipped disgruntled defenceman Brady Lyle to Owen Sound in exchange for goaltender Christian Propp.
See related story: Battalion trade: Lyle joins Attack as Troops add another new netminder
Early on it was the Fronts who got the offence going first, as the speedy Brett Neumann beat defenders to a loose puck near the slot on a line change and Brett Neumann ripped the puck five-hole past starter Christian Purboo for a 1-0 lead just over three minutes in.
Less than four minutes later the Battalion got the equalizer as Rhys Forhan shoveled home a rebound past Fronts goalie Jeremy Helvig off a shot by Daniel Walker at 7:12 of the opening frame.
Purboo, making his first start at home, made two stellar stops in the late stages of the period which created a roar from the Battalion crowd.
Troops came out with an inspired effort in the opening period as the Fronts were trying to find some energy for the afternoon as they were playing the tail end of a long three-game weekend road trip.
With Lyle gone, the Troops added another promising defenceman in Payton Vescio, who was called up for Sunday’s game from the Powassan Voodoos.
The Battalion net their first lead of the game as Brett McKenzie walked into a heavy slap shot from the top of the circle which beat Helvig low glove side which made it 2-1 Troops at 5:00 of the second period.
The Troops increased the lead to 3-1 as Jesse Saban picked up a puck in the slot and beat Helvig through traffic for his first tally of the season.
The Battalion continued to pour it on as Brett McKenzie notched his second from a bad angle through Helvig which spelled the end of the afternoon for the Kingston goalie who was replaced by Mario Peccia.
The Fronts cut into the lead on a 5 on 3 as Dallas Stars prospect Jason Robertson ripped home a one-timer past Purboo from inside the right face-off circle which made it 4-2 Troops.
The Battalion regained the three-goal lead as Bradley Chenier chipped in a big rebound off Peccia and into the wide-open cage after some heavy pressure in the Kingston zone. That made it 5-2 with just over five minutes left in the second.
The Battalion put an exclamation point on the win as Brandon Coe beat a pair of defenders to a Thilander dump in, and quickly whistled a shot over Peccia which made it 6-2 midway through the third period.
Then after serving a five-minute major for a spirited fight with Ryan Cranford, Walker beats another Fronts defender to a loose puck on a clear in, he eludes the poke check of Peccia, and put it into the empty cage to complete his Gordie Howe hat trick making it 7-2.
Then Walker continued to roll as he walked in and deked Peccia to the backhand which made it 8-2 only moments after he turned the Gordie Howe hat trick.
