The Calgary Stampeders rebounded from an uncharacteristically poor performance against BC a week ago to record an impressive victory over the reigning Grey Cup champions on Friday night at McMahon Stadium.

In a battle of Canadian Football League division leaders, West leader Calgary defeated East frontrunner Montreal 46-21. The result snaps a short two-game slide for the Stamps and gives Calgary (10-3) the best record in the CFL.

“It was a good game,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “A good effort by our football team. They beat a good football team and we’ll be seeing each other again in 10 days (for the rematch in Montreal).”

After struggling in their previous outing, the Stamps offence wasted no time making an impact. On the unit’s first possession of the evening, Calgary went 72 yards on just three plays and found the end-zone on a 61-yard pass from Henry Burris to Romby Bryant.

The Stamps were even quicker the next time they had the ball as Burris connected with Ken-Yon Rambo for a 100-yard catch-and-run major. It was both the longest reception of Rambo’s career and the longest completion of Burris’.
 
The play also allowed Burris to pass Kent Austin and move into ninth place on the CFL’s all-time passing list. More importantly, it gave the Stamps a quick 14-0 lead in the showdown contest.

“Any time you score points coming out of the gate, it gives you the momentum,” said Hufnagel. “We were able to use that.”

Another milestone moment for the Stamps in the opening half involved Joffrey Reynolds surpassing Dave Thelen to move into ninth place on the league’s all-time rushing list.

Montreal got on the board on a 15-yard scoring pass from Anthony Calvillo to Andrew Hawkins and the score was 14-7 in favour of Calgary after one quarter.

The second quarter featured Rob Maver field goals of 29 and 31 yards on the first and last plays of the period. In between, the clubs exchanged touchdowns.

First, Calgary’s Drew Tate scored on a one-yard keeper. Then it was Calvillo connecting with S.J. Green for a seven-yard Montreal major.

There was another exchange of touchdowns in the third quarter. First, the Stamps’ Nik Lewis made a catch and ran over Montreal defensive back Mark Estelle en route to the end-zone and a 36-yard major.

Montreal answered with a 16-yard touchdown reception by Jamel Richardson. A safety conceded by the Alouettes made the score 36-21 for the Stamps after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, Burris surpassed the 400-yard mark on the night when he hit Bryant for his second scoring pass of the contest, this one a 40-yarder.

The Stamps and Als will complete their home-and-home series in Montreal on Oct. 11, Thanksgiving Monday.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

PASSING
Cgy: Burris 19-28-412-4-0; Mtl: Calvillo 17-33-227-3-1, McPherson 3-4-35-0-1

RUSHING
Cgy: Burris 6-56, Reynolds 10-52, Cornish 5-24, Tate 1-1-1; Mtl: Cobourne 11-76, Bratton 2-11, Emry 1-7, McPherson 2-4

RECEIVING
Cgy: Rambo 6-169-1, Bryant 5-146-2, Lewis 3-49-1, Reynolds 3-27, Cornish 1-18, Murphy 1-3; Mtl: Richardson 5-124-1, Cobourne 4-46, Hawkins 4-43-1, Cahoon 3-22, Bratton 3-20, Green 1-7-1

NOTABLES
Cgy: Hughes 4 TKL 1 STT 2 SK, Browner 5 TKL, Jackson 4 TKL 1 INT, Phillips 2 STT, Maver 3-3 FG 14 PTS; Mtl: Parker 7 TKL 1 KD, Bowman 3 TKL 2 SK, McElveen 2 TKL 1 SK, Cox 5 TKL