It may only be Week 5 but there’s still a lot at stake Saturday night as the Stampeders play host to the BC Lions.

“It’s a game between two teams that are 2-2,” remarked Calgary head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “It’s a big game early in the season. I expect it to be a great game.”

If recent history means anything, expect the game to be decided late. Two of the three matchups between the West Division rivals in 2011 were decided by two points and five meetings over the past three years featured a margin of victory of less than one touchdown.

“Usually,” said Hufnagel, “the BC-Calgary matchups consist of really good football and that’s the type of game I’m looking for tomorrow night. It’s going to take our best to give ourselves an opportunity to win the game.”

“With the way the CFL is right now,” said Stampeders slotback Nik Lewis, “I couldn’t see any game not going down to the wire. I think all the teams are so evenly matched that all the games are going to great.”

BC has occasionally struggled on offence through the first four weeks of the season but they’ve allowed the third fewest points in the CFL.

“They’re a really good defence,” said Lewis. “They’re sound, they’ve got great tackles and great ends, Corey Banks and the back end are all veterans and they know what they’re doing. They’re all able to capitalize on mistakes so we have to minimize the turnovers. They’re a team right now that’s looking to make big plays.”

BC also happens to be the club that won the most recent Grey Cup.

“I’m sure it’s a rallying cry anytime you play the defending champs,” said Hufnagel. “You’re playing a very good football team and you want to be judged against the best. We’re going to find out tomorrow night where we stack up versus the defending champs.”

In Lewis and BC’s Geroy Simon, Saturday’s contest features two of the most accomplished receivers in the game.

“Geroy’s amazing,” said Lewis. “He’s a great receiver and he’s been at the top of the league for so long and he just keeps doing it. It’s almost as though he doesn’t even age. I love playing BC because I love watching Geroy in person. I’ve learned a lot from watching him and watching Milt (Stegall) and watching a lot of receivers.”

Lewis, meanwhile, is off to the best start of his career and he led the CFL in catches and receiving touchdowns after four weeks of action.

“He’s not going to win the 40-yard dash,” said Hufnagel, “but he probably has some of the best hands I’ve ever seen on a receiver. He’s physically tough, he’s hard to jam because of his strength, especially his upper-body strength, so he’s slippery to get open in that manner.

“He reads and he’s very knowledgeable about the game so he can see the holes in the zone and where he needs to get to. And when he has the ball in his hands, he’s a force to bring down. You put that package together, you have a pretty good football player.”