The Calgary Stampeders missed out on a chance to wrap up first place in the Canadian Football League’s West Division on Friday at McMahon Stadium as they dropped a 36-31 decision to the BC Lions.

A trio of Paul McCallum fourth-quarter field goals resulted in the decisive lead change as the Lions overcame a 31-27 deficit after three quarters.

“It was an interesting game, to say the least,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel about the see-saw affair that saw the Stamps overcome an early 20-0 deficit, only to let a fourth-quarter lead get away.

“We fought back, we got into the game. Offensively, we couldn’t get a whole lot established in the second half. Our coverage team was not tackling, which allowed BC to have good field position. Our defence was able to hold them to field goals, but they were still able to take the lead.”

The Stamps still had a chance to win the game in the final minute but passes into the end-zone intended for Arjei Franklin and Nik Lewis fell incomplete.

“I dropped the ball when I had a chance to win the game,” a visibly distraught Franklin said about his close call. “I put the ball on the ground. That’s about all I can say.”

The loss drops the Stamps to 11-5 on the season while the Lions improve to 6-10. Calgary still has two more chances to clinch the West Division title by winning one of their final two games. A Saskatchewan loss would also give Calgary top spot.

Down 20 points after 18 minutes of play, the Stamps came to life and scored four second-quarter touchdowns to make the halftime score 28-27.

Ken-Yon Rambo, who earlier in the game surpassed the 5,000 mark in career receiving yards, hauled in a 27-yard scoring pass from Henry Burris to get the home side going.

Then it was Lewis finding the end-zone on a 10-yard pass from Burris.

The defence got into the act as Charleston Hughes forced a Travis Lulay fumble, with the ball popping right into the hands of Keon Raymond, who ran the ball 47 yards for a touchdown and a 21-20 Calgary advantage.

A 74-yard scoring throw from Lulay to Emmanuel Arceneaux put the Lions back in front, but the Stamps came right with another Lewis score — this time a 20-yard play — to recapture the lead.

A 20-yard field goal by Calgary’s Rob Maver made the score 31-27 after three quarters.

The Lions needed just two plays at the start of the game to cover 76 yards and get on the scoreboard. A 65-yard pass-and-run from Lulay to Steven Black was followed by Lulay’s 11-yard scamper for touchdown.

After a 20-yard Paul McCallum field extended the visitors’ lead to 10-0, BC defensive lineman Richard Jones scooped up a Jon Cornish fumble and ran 50 yards for a Lions touchdown and a 17-0 lead.

A 39-yard McCallum field goal made the score 20-0.

The Stamps play their final home regular-season game on Friday, Oct. 29 when the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will provide the opposition at McMahon Stadium.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

PASSING
Cgy: Burris 27-42-373-3-1; BC: Lulay 17-26-1-2

RUSHING
Cgy: Cornish 5-42, Burris 4-25, Tate 2-20, Reynolds 4-8, Franklin 1-1; BC: Lulay 7-59-1, Robertson 11-39, Jackson 1-3, Davis 1-2

RECEIVING
Cgy: Lewis 7-149-2, Rambo 7-116-1, Bryant 5-48, Reynolds 4-16, Cote 2-16, Cornish 1-16, Franklin 1-12; BC: Arceneaux 1-74-1, Robertson 10-69, Black 1-65, Jackson 4-45, Simon 1-11

NOTABLES
Cgy: Simpson 7 TKL 1 INT 1 KD, McCune 7 TKL 1 STT 1 SK, Raymond 1 TKL 1 INT 1 FR 1 TD, Hughes 2 TKL 2 STT 1 SK 1 FF, Isaac 3 TKL 1 SK; BC: Crawford 4 TKL 2 KD, Franks 3 TKL 1 FF 1 FR, Reddick 1 TKL 2 STT 1 INT, Harris 4-104 KOR 4-71 PR