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Calgary holds on to defeat Montreal

Oct 30, 2011 - 9:53 PM Montreal, QC (Sports Network) - Drew Tate threw for 333 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions and the Stampeders defense came up huge late to edge the Montreal Alouettes 32-27 on Sunday afternoon.

Trailing 32-27 with less than a minute to go, Montreal had one last opportunity to win the game if it could get down the length of the field and stick the ball in the end zone. Anthony Calvillo completed a 37-yard pass to Jamel Richardson with 42 seconds left to bring the ball to the Calgary 18.

On third down with 16 seconds to go, the Alouettes had a chance to win the game as Calvillo lofted one to the back of the end zone for S.J. Green, but the pass was knocked down by Johnnie Dixon, preserving the win for Calgary.

"It was a huge win for us, we're still in the chase. It's a one week season now, but we're in the position we want to be in and it comes down to the last game," Tate said. "We're focused on who we're playing."

Johnny Forzani hauled in six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Jon Cornish rushed 15 times for 71 yards and two scores.

With the victory, Calgary (10-7) moves into a three-way tie atop the West Division with Edmonton and British Columbia. Although they have clinched a playoff spot, the Stampeders' hopes to take the division crown remains alive.

Calvillo threw for 380 yards and a touchdown for Montreal (10-7), while Marc-Olivier Brouillette, Brandon Whitaker and Adrian McPherson all rushed for scores.

"We didn't make enough plays offensively to help produce a win," Calvillo said. "We were able to slow them down in the third quarter, but they made some plays. We didn't make the plays that we needed. There were lots of missed opportunities especially since we're fighting to get a win back in our column."

Richardson caught five passes for 111 yards, He went over 100 yards in a game for the 12th time this season, establishing a new CFL record.

Montreal is now tied with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for first place in the East Division with one week to play.

Leading by one early in the final quarter, Calgary extended its lead to 29-21 when Tate capped a five-play, 49-yard drive -- highlighted by a big 10-yard completion for a first down on 2nd-and-8 -- with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Forzani.

Calvillo brought his team within two, 29-27 with under two minutes to go in the game when he found Eric Deslauriers for a 31-yard touchdown pass on 3rd- and-10. Montreal was unable to convert the two-point try which would have tied the game.

Paredes added a 41-yard field goal to account for the final score.

The Stamps wasted no time grabbing the early lead as Tate led a six-play, 68- yard drive on the opening possession of the game and found Forzani streaking down the right sideline for a 33-yard touchdown strike and a 7-0 lead.

Montreal came right back on their first drive of the game and responded with a score of its own. Calvillio led a five-play, 78-yard march down to the Calgary seven before Whitaker took it into the end zone untouched to make it 7-7.

Calgary jumped right back in front on its next possession as the Stampeders went 75 yards in four plays -- highlighted by a pass interference penalty on De'audra Dix that placed the ball on the one.

From there Henry Burris pitched it out to Cornish who walked in for the score and a 14-7 advantage.

With just over two minutes to go before halftime, Montreal's defense came up with a big play as Greg Laybourn scooped up a fumble by Joffrey Reynolds and returned it 60 yards all the way to the Calgary two. Two plays later, McPherson bowled his way into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 14.

Midway through the third quarter, Calgary took a 22-14 lead when Tate led an eight-play, 67-yard drive down to the Montreal one and Cornish capped the march with another one-yard touchdown plunge.

The Als used a little trickery to get within a point, 22-21 with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter. After being stopped on first and second down, Montreal lined up to punt, but the snap went directly to Brouillette who raced 72 yards to paydirt.

Game Notes

Calgary leads the all-time series between teams, 32-31-1, including taking the last meeting by a 38-31 score...It was Tate's second career CFL start...It was Whitaker's 10th touchdown of the season...Brouillette's touchdown was his first career CFL touchdown.