Ken-Yon Rambo’s five-yard touchdown reception with 2:59 remaining in the fourth quarter was the difference on Thursday as the Stampeders defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21-20 at Canad Inns Stadium.
Calgary improves to 2-1 and hands the Blue Bombers (also 2-1) their first loss of the season despite producing just 237 yards of offence.
Winnipeg kicker Justin Palardy’s attempt at a game-winning 44-yard field goal in the dying seconds was wide.
“We find a way to win,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew it was going to be a 60-minute game.
“We need to become a better football team, but coming out with a win on the road and playing against a very good football team, that’s important.”
The go-ahead score was set up by Demetrice Morley’s forced fumble and Keon Raymond’s recovery and return to the Winnipeg 31-yard line. Three plays later, Rambo was in the end-zone.
“The defence did a great job of keeping us in the game and putting us in a position to win.”
The Stamps’ other touchdown of the night was a direct result of the defence as Raymond picked off a Buck Pierce pass in the second quarter and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown.
The only scoring in the opening quarter consisted of four points by the Blue Bombers — one on a Mike Renaud punt single and three on Palardy’s 34-yard field goal.
Calgary got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter thanks to Raymond’s interception return. It was the second pick in as many weeks for the halfback.
The Blue Bombers got the seven points back on their next possession as Pierce hooked up with Terrence Edwards for a 49-yard scoring pass.
Winnipeg added another major in the third quarter tanks to a one-yard plunge by third-string quarterback Alex Brink.
Rene Paredes kicked field goals of 37 and 18 yards for the Stampeders while Burke Dales had a 79-yard punt single to account for the rest of Calgary’s offence.
With his second catch of the night, Nik Lewis made it 554 receptions for his career and moved past Tom Forzani for second place on the Stampeders’ all-time list.
In another milestone accomplishment, Calgary’s Joffrey Reynolds moved past Leo Lewis (8,861 yards) for eighth place on the CFL’s all-time rushing list.
Calgary returns to action on Saturday, July 23 as the Stampeders return to McMahon Stadium to entertain the Edmonton Eskimos.
More coverage
>> Video: Highlights
>> Audio: Coach Huff comments
>> Locker-Room Blog: Keon Raymond
>> Locker-Room Blog: Joffrey Reynolds
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>> CFL standings
INDIVIDUAL STATS
PASSING
Cgy: Burris 17-32-183-1-0; Wpg: Pierce 9-16-149-1-2, Elliott 10-18-87-0-0
RUSHING
Cgy: Reynolds 7-40, Burris 4-24, Bishop 2-12, Taylor 2-9, Cornish 3-9, Bryant 1-1; Wpg: Reid 17-87, Pierce 2-11, Elliott 2-8, Brink 2-2-1
RECEIVING
Cgy: Rambo 6-68-1, Lewis 5-50, Forzani 2-25, Franklin 2-18, St. Pierre 1-14, Bryant 1-8; Wpg: Watson 6-98, Edwards 2-53-1, Hargreaves 3-40, Jeffers-Harris 5-28, Denmark 3-17
NOTABLES
Cgy: Simpson 5 TKL, Tisdale 5 TKL, Hughes 4 TKL 1 SK 1 KD, Raymond 4 TKL 1 INT 1 FR 1 TD, Morley 3 TKL 1 FF, Claybrooks 2 TKL 1 SK, Smith 2 TKL 1 SK 1 KD; Wpg: Hefney 6 TKL 3 KD, Bowman 5 TKL, O. Willis 2 TKL 2 SK 1 FF, Mainor 2 TKL 2 SK