By Max Campbell
Stampeders.com

After snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in Week 1 at McMahon Stadium against the Ticats, the Stampeders are now looking to avenge their lone loss away from home a season ago.

The Stamps fell 31-15 to the Montreal Alouettes at Percival Molson Stadium on Sept. 21 in the CFL’s Hall of Fame game despite entering the contest with a 10-1 record. Now preparing to visit the Als once again, the Red and White know they must improve on every aspect of their performance in order to leave Montreal with a better result.

“We know we didn’t play great as a team and we took responsibility for that in every phase of the game – offence, defence and special teams,” declared Jamar Wall, who registered a tackle in the matchup last season. “We lost every single battle. So if we just come out with the (proper) intensity and play like we know how to play, the game should go our way.”

Filling in for a sidelined Jon Cornish was backup running back Matt Walter, who ran for a career-best 88 yards on 13 carries before breaking the century mark four weeks later vs Winnipeg.

“We lost in all three areas,” the Calgary native conceded regarding the defeat. “We lost the special teams battle and (also) in turnovers and penalties. It’s tough to win a game when you’re up against those odds. We’re going to have to have that not happen again, and we’re looking forward to having a good week.”

Wall, who has long moved past the disappointment of the outing, has shifted his attention to earning a victory in Friday’s contest thanks in large part to defensive coordinator Rich Stubler.

“It’s a new year and we don’t like to dwell on the past, and Coach Stubler had a quote about that actually this morning,” provided the 2014 CFL and CFLPA all-star halfback. “We definitely want to go out and play the best we can. We’re looking to get better every single game and come out with a victory.”

Montreal will be without the services of both Jonathan Crompton and Dan LeFevour, who suffered injuries in their respective 2015 debuts when facing the RedBlacks. Relieving their top two pivots was first-year Canadian quarterback Brandon Bridge, who is now expected to get the start opposite the Calgary defence.

The rookie signal-caller will surely lean on the wisdom of Anthony Calvillo, a recent addition to the Alouettes coaching staff who played in Montreal from  1998-2013 and is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks in CFL history.

“You can’t underestimate anyone,” Wall noted of Bridge. “He’s a young guy, but yet he’s obviously in this league for a reason. He’s got Calvillo there, who was the best in the league, so he’s not going to come out and be a slouch. I think they’re going to have a plan for him and help him get some confidence and try to go from there.”

Head coach and general manager John Hufnagel won’t be taking the opposition lightly, either, as he finds his team in a similar situation this time around.

“They were a 3-8 team without a whole lot of certainly at the quarterback position and we got our butts kicked,” a blunt Hufnagel indicated of the last time the Stamps travelled to Quebec. “They’re a very good football team and they’re going to have a capable person behind centre and we have to play good football.”