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Hamilton knocks out Montreal with overtime victory

Nov 13, 2011 - 11:09 PM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - The Montreal Alouettes' reign is over.

Quinton Porter ran for a one-yard touchdown in overtime, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats followed with a defensive stand to beat the two-time defending Grey Cup champions, 52-44, in an East Division semifinal at Olympic Stadium.

The Alouettes had defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders in each of the last two Grey Cup contests, and used a 44-yard touchdown pass by Anthony Calvillo to tie Sunday's game late in regulation.

But Montreal couldn't hold Hamilton out of the end zone in overtime, and Calvillo's third-down pass fell incomplete on the Alouettes' ensuing possession, securing the outcome.

Porter accounted for three touchdowns and Kevin Glenn passed for 275 yards and a touchdown for the Ti-Cats, who prevailed in the highest-scoring playoff game in CFL history and will face the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the East final next week.

Calvillo threw for 513 yards and three touchdowns for Montreal, which lost four consecutive games to end its season.

"Right now we're devastated," Calvillo said. "We didn't have enough to get us over the edge."

The Als faced a 30-23 deficit after Justin Medlock kicked a 49-yard field goal shortly into the fourth quarter, but followed with a score to touch off a frenzied show of offense.

Calvillo hit Eric Deslauriers with a 75-yard touchdown, and Hamilton followed with a scoring drive that featured Porter's 31-yard pass to Chris Williams and ended with Porter's one-yard run.

That gave the Ti-Cats a 37-30 advantage, though the Als quickly tied the game again. Calvillo began a drive with a 26-yard pass to Jamel Richardson and found Richardson again for a 14-yard TD with a little more than seven minutes to play.

After a trade of punts, Hamilton resumed the scoring with a 46-yard run by Avon Cobourne, who was a member of Montreal's last two Grey Cup-winning teams -- winning MVP honors in 2009 -- before signing with the Ti-Cats this past winter.

"They're a great team," Cobourne said. "But I feel their time is over."

His score put Hamilton ahead 44-37, but Montreal had 2:37 left when it took over at its own 31-yard line.

It was plenty of time, especially considering Calvillo's efficiency. He completed passes of 19, seven, and nine yards on three consecutive attempts to get the ball into Tiger-Cats territory, then found S.J. Green for a 44-yard score.

The touchdown evened the game and almost came too soon. Hamilton started a drive at its own 47 with 90 seconds to play, and picked up 19 yards on the first play.

The Tiger-Cats eventually got to the Montreal 32 and looked like they would get in position for a game-winning field goal.

But Cobourne was dropped for a two-yard loss on consecutive plays, and a 10- yard penalty moved Hamilton back to the Montreal 46 with one second to play. Medlock's 51-yard try sailed wide left to send the game into overtime.

Hamilton scored on the first possession, which Glenn opened with a 31-yard pass to Matt Carter. That moved the ball to the four-yard line, and two plays later, Porter was in the end zone.

A two-point conversion put Hamilton up by eight, but the margin wasn't necessary. Montreal advanced only to the Tiger-Cats' 17 before Calvillo's final pass fell to the ground.

Hamilton held a 10-3 lead after the first quarter, when Marcus Thigpen scored on a 50-yard run. Sean Whyte's nine-yard field goal and Brandon Whitaker's two-yard TD opened the second quarter to put Montreal ahead, 13-10.

But Hamilton followed with TD passes from Glenn and Porter, and rolled into halftime with a 24-16 advantage.

Medlock made a 47-yard try near the midway point of the third quarter, and Adrian McPherson scored for Montreal.

Game Notes

Hamilton has not won the Grey Cup since 1999...Cobourne finished with 97 rushing yards for Hamilton, while Bakari Grant had 99 yards on six receptions, including one touchdown...Green totaled eight receptions for 142 yards.