Fighting for their playoff lives, a strong team effort and a late touchdown drive led the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to a 35-32 road victory over the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night.
It was Hamilton’s first win at McMahon Stadium since 2004, but more importantly moves the Ticats into a playoff spot.
Three interceptions, two by Richard Leonard and another by Julian Howsare helped power the Ticats to the win.
Dane Evans led the Ticats offence with 241 passing yards and a touchdown. He found receiver Tim White with 22 seconds left in the game to secure the win.
A week after rushing for 132 yards, running back Wes Hills had another good game for the Black and Gold, carrying the ball 11 times for 52 yards.
Defensively, the Ticats applied relentless pressure all game long.
Jake Maier finished with 251 passing yards and connected with William Langlais and DeVontres Dukes for touchdowns, but it was his three interceptions that proved costly.
Ka’Deem Carey continued to show why he’s the league’s top rusher, carrying the ball 12 times for 64 yards.
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A LATE TOUCHDOWN PASS BY DANE EVANS TO TIM WHITE HELPED SECURE A WIN FOR HAMILTON IN CALGARY FRIDAY NIGHT. (KEVIN SOUSA/CFL.CA)
Calgary began the game with the ball but four plays in Howsare dropped back in coverage and picked off a Maier pass to give his team good field position on their first drive of the game.
After a six-yard Wes Hills run, Evans looked deep for Steven Dunbar but an offensive pass interference call put Hamilton on the Calgary 21-yard line. The Stampeders defence stood tall from there, forcing the Ticats to settle for a field goal to open the scoring.
The Stampeders second possession again ended with an interception. On the ninth play of the drive and deep in Ticats territory, Richard Leonard intercepted a Maier pass to put their offence back on the field.
Calgary forced a three and out on the ensuing drive and Logan Peyton would then return a short punt to the Hamilton 52-yard line. An offensive pass interference call on Cariel Brooks helped extend the drive and Maier made them pay by connecting with William Langlais for a 13-yard touchdown pass.
The touchdown was Langlais first of his CFL career.
A Ticats punt to start the second quarter pinned the Stampeders deep. A nine play drive got the Stamps onto the Ticats half of the field but Malik Carney’s seventh sack of the season helped get them the ball back.
Late in the second quarter, Richard Leonard intercepted his second pass, and third of the game for the Ticats, and returned it for a 64-yard pick-six to make it 11-7.
Determined to turn the tide of the game, Maier took back over with less than three minutes to go in the half and led his team down the field to set up a 43-yard field goal from Rene Paredes.
However, a 46-yard field goal from Ticats kicker Seth Small with four seconds left in the half regained Hamilton their four point lead.
Hamilton received the ball to start the second half and Evans immediately found Felix Garand-Gauthier for a 33-yard reception and Tim White for an 18-yard catch. Evans capped the drive with a quarterback sneak for a touchdown to extend their lead to 21-10.
Looking for an immediate answer, the Stamps offence made their way deep into Ticats territory but a holding call held them to a field goal.
The Ticats would again answer on the following drive with a 57-yard field goal from Small to regain their 11 point lead.
Maier would get his team back in the game with an eight yard touchdown pass to Devontres Dukes.
On the following kickoff, receiver Tyson Middlemost would recover the ball to set up a 32-yard Paredes field goal to get the Stampeders to within a point at 24-23.
A turnover would again prove costly in the game when West Hills fumbled a pass on their own half of the field. Shawn Lemon would pounce on the football for the fumble recovery.
Paredes would make it count with a 41-yard field goal to give Calgary a 26-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The back-and-forth continued on the next drive as seven plays resulted in a 36-yard Small field goal to give the Ticats the lead back.
The Stampeders were forced to punt after a three and out but were able to pin the Ticats deep with less than three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Head coach Orlondo Steinauer decided to go for it on third and two but the Stampeders defence was up to the test, forcing a turnover on downs.
Maier took over on the Ticats 21-yard line and Tommy Stevens punched in a quarterback sneak for a touchdown. The Stampeders failed to convert on the two-point conversion.
With the game on the line, Lawrence Woods returned a punt to the 50-yard line. Evans then found Tim White with 22 seconds left and converted on the two-point conversion to secure the win
Hamilton will now return home to host the Ottawa REDBLACKS in Week 20. Calgary heads to Saskatchewan to take on the Roughriders.