• Recap
• Bleachers

Ray leads Eskimos in season-ending win over Roughriders

Oct 28, 2006 - 5:29 AM EDMONTON, Alberta (Ticker) -- With little to play for in their season finale, the Edmonton Eskimos called on Ricky Ray for some positive results.

Ray threw a third-quarter touchdown pass and reached 5,000 yards for the season and Ron McClendon scored in the opening period to lead the Eskimos to a 20-18 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Last year's Grey Cup champion, Edmonton (7-11) will sit out the postseason for the first time since 1971. However, the Eskimos won their eighth straight home game against Saskatchewan to complete their first season sweep of the Roughriders in 11 years.

Saskatchewan (9-9) sat out many of its starters, including quarterback Kerry Joseph and running back Kenton Keith, to rest for the Western Conference semifinals against the Calgary Stampeders on November 5.

Leading 13-7, the Eskimos widened the margin with 12:09 left in the third quarter when Ray found Jason Tucker on a 29-yard TD toss. He completed 13-of-23 passes for 187 yards.

Luca Congi booted three field goals in the second half to cut the deficit for the Roughriders, but missed a 49-yard attempt with nine seconds remaining.

After rushing for 198 yards against the Montreal Alouettes in his first game of the season last week, McClendon gave the Eskimos a 7-0 lead with a four-yard touchdown run with 3:34 left in the first quarter.