The Calgary Stampeders extended their winning streak against the BC Lions to eight games with a 27-22 victory at Vancouver’s Empire Field on Saturday.
With the result, the Stamps improve their record to 5-1 and move into sole possession of first place in the West Division, two points ahead of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Calgary is 7-0 in regular-season play against the Leos since the start of the 2008 campaign and the Stamps also beat BC in the 2008 West Final.
“We took too many penalties,” said Stampeders head coach John Hufnagel, who watched his side get 11 flags thrown against them, “but we found a way to win a football game on the road. It was a good team effort. It was a tough battle tonight, as we knew it would be.”
The Stamps opened the scoring on their second possession of the night and they needed just one play to find the end-zone as Henry Burris hooked up with Ken-Yon Rambo for a 48-yard major. It was the second touchdown in as many weeks for Rambo after a lengthy injury layoff.
The Lions rallied to score the next 10 points to take a three-point lead into the second quarter. First, Paul McCallum booted a 27-yard field goals for the hosts and then Jamal Robertson scored a five-yard rushing touchdown.
It was then Calgary’s turn to score 10 points as Rob Maver tied the game on a 19-yard field goal and then Drew Tate put the Stamps ahead with a one-yard touchdown pass to Rob Cote. It was the first professional TD pass for Tate, who was subbing for Burris in a short-yardage situation.
McCallum closed out the first-half scoring with a 38-yard field goal on the last play before the halftime break.
After an exchange of short field goals in the third quarter — Maver from 17 yards and McCallum from 15 — the Stamps extended their lead when Burris connected with Ryan Thelwell for a 10-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the period. It was first touchdown of the year for Thelwell, whose 2009 season was cut short by an Achilles tendon injury.
The major came two plays after Calgary cornerback Dwight Anderson picked off a Travis Lulay pass and returned it to the BC 10-yard line.
BC’s Robertson scored his second touchdown of the night in the final minute of play.
The Stamps return home and will host the Edmonton Eskimos for their Retro Game on Sunday, Aug. 15.
STATISTICS
PASSING
Cgy: Burris 22-32-238-2-1, Tate 1-1-1-1-0; BC: Lulay 15-28-159-0-1, J.Jackson 8-17-99-0-1
RUSHING
Cgy: Reynolds 10-67, Cornish 5-24, Burris 2-18, Tate 1-4; BC: Robertson 9-24-2, Lulay 2-17, J.Jackson 2-10, Davis 1-7
RECEIVING
Cgy: Rambo 3-77-1, Lewis 5-44, Thelwell 3-40-1, Bryant 4-28, Reynolds 2-16, Franklin 3-14, Cote 2-12-1, Murphy 1-8; BC: Arceneaux 7-104, P.Jackson 6-76, Simon 5-37, Armstrong 2-25, Wilson 2-15, Davis 1-1
NOTABLES
Cgy: Cornish 4 STT, Jackson 4 TKL 1 STT 2 SK, McCune 4 TKL 1 STT 2 SK Anderson 7 TK 1 INT, Browner 2 TKL 1 INT 2 KD; BC: Crawford 7 TKL 1 STT, Williams 3 TKL 1 SK, Pittman 3 TKL 1 SK, Franks 3 TKL 1 INT, Marsh 4 TKL