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Alouettes 37, Tiger-Cats 14

Jul 23, 2010 - 3:38 PM MONTREAL (CP) - Kerry Watkins and Kerry Carter scored in the fourth quarter and Damon Duval equalled a Montreal team record with seven field goals as the Alouettes downed the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37-14 in their CFL home opener on Thursday night.

The Alouettes (3-1) were held without a TD in a 16-12 win in Vancouver last week and had to wait until the fourth quarter before quarterback Anthony Calvillo found Watkins and Carter with scoring passes.

Duval equalled his field goal total from Nov. 7 last season in Toronto, which had been accomplished twice previously by Terry Baker.

Quinton Porter went in for Hamilton starter Kevin Glenn in the fourth quarter and hit Arland Bruce with a 16-yard touchdown pass at 8:30 and then found Maurice Mann for the 2-point convert. Sandro DeAngelis had a pair of field goals for the Ticats (1-3), who have lost 10 of their last 11 meetings with Montreal.

The Alouettes led 19-6 when Hamilton gave up the ball on downs and, after a couple of quick first downs, Calvillo found Watkins alone in the end zone at 2:13 of the fourth quarter. S.J. Green then caught one for the 2-point convert.

Calvillo hit Carter with a TD pass with 2:12 left to play. Chris Leak replaced Calvillo for the Alouettes' final possession.

A full house of 25,012 turned out on a near-perfect summer evening for the first game since Percival Molson Stadium was expanded by 5,000 seats in the off-season in a $29 million renovation. A new deck on the south grandstand and new seats in the east end zone were packed.

They saw a game that was all kicking until the final quarter.

Duval was 3-for-4, missing a 51-yard attempt as time expired in the first half, and 4-for-4 in the second half.

One Duval boot was set up by a Glenn fumble that was picked up by linebacker Ramon Guzman at the Hamilton 22 and another came after Michael Giffin blocked a Justin Palardy punt and got the ball on the Ticats 16.

The struggling DeAngelis was 2-for-3, missing one that hit the upright. Duval added a punt single.

Both teams moved the ball in the first half, but couldn't punch it in until Watkins's major.

The Ticats came closest, taking the ball first and goal at the Montreal one after a pass interfernce call, but third-string quarterback Adam Tafralis was stopped and DeAndra Cobb fumbled to teammate Simeon Rottier, leaving DeAngelis to kick from 19 yards.

The Montreal cover team kept dynamic first-year kick returner Marcus Thigpen quiet.

The Alouettes got a scare when Calvillo stayed down after twisting his left leg while being sacked by Garrett McIntyre midway through the second quarter, but he returned after a brief visit to the dressing room and didn't miss a play.

Montreal has won 10 straight regular season games at home. Their last home loss was Oct. 26, 2008 against Winnipeg.