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September 5, 2017

About last night . . .

Anthony Parker celebrates a touchdown during the 2017 Labour Day Classic (Photo by David Moll)

Or, actually, about yesterday afternoon. Here’s a closer look at the Stamps’ 39-18 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos in the Labour Day Classic at McMahon Stadium:

Stamps take Classic lead

Starting in 1959, the annual Labour Day Classic between Calgary and Edmonton was an off-and-on affair as at that time the Stamps occasionally played host to other teams on the early-September holiday.

In 1971, the Stamps downed the Eskimos 23-7 to take a 5-3 lead in Labour Day Battle of Alberta games played in Calgary. The Esks then won the next five Classic clashes and had maintained a lead in the all-time series ever since.

Until now, that is.

With six consecutive Labour Day decisions over their northern rivals, the Stamps have reclaimed the Labour Day lead with a 26-25-1 edge over Edmonton. The six-game string of victories matches the longest streak in the series as the Stamps also won six Classics in a row from 1993 to 1998.

Let’s go streaking

The Labour Day run of victories is just one of several streaks the Stamps extended on Monday.

For starters, Calgary has won its past six games to improve to 8-1-1 and take a three-point lead over Edmonton and Winnipeg at the top of the West Division.

The Stamps have also won 15 straight regular-season contests at McMahon Stadium, the second-longest home winning streak in franchise history and the seventh-longest all-time in the CFL.

In addition, Calgary has rattled off 13 straight wins against West Division opponents.

Since Dave Dickenson took over as head coach at the start of the 2016 season, the Stamps are 14-0 at McMahon and 23-3-2 overall.

Bet on black

Oh, you can add one more streak to the list – including the playoffs, the Stamps have now won eight games in a row when wearing their black alternate uniforms.

Since the black jersey was first introduced in 1994, the Stamps are 28-8 in the alternate duds including 20-6 in the regular season and 13-3 on Labour Day.

Starting fast

One of the keys to the Stamps’ recent success has been solid starts.

During Calgary’s active six-game winning streak, the Stamps have shut out the opposition in the first quarter on four occasions and have allowed a total of just 10 points in opening periods.

The Stamps have outscored the enemy 49-10 in the first quarter during the winning streak, 127-32 in the first half and 211-77 overall.

Long time between visitor TDs

With the Stamps up by 30 points in the fourth quarter on Monday, the Eskimos gambled on third down and found the end zone as Mike Reilly connected with Kenny Stafford. That was notable because it was the first offensive touchdown allowed by the Stamps at McMahon in more than six weeks.

From a touchdown by Saskatchewan’s Cameron Marshall on July 22 to Stafford’s score, the Calgary defence went 193 minutes and 33 seconds without allowing a major at home. Hamilton was held to a single point on July 29 while the only touchdown scored by the Argos during a Week 10 visit came on an interception return.

Including road games, the Stafford touchdown snapped the Stamps streak of not allowing an offensive touchdown at 129 minutes and 35 seconds.

Finch comes through in the pinch

For the second consecutive Labour Day, Stamps dynamo Roy Finch returned a punt for a touchdown.

Finch’s latest touchdown dash covered 90 yards and allowed the University of Oklahoma product to tie Derrick Crawford’s franchise record of three punt-return scores in a single season. All three of Finch’s punt-return TDs this season – 97 yards against Hamilton on July 29, 103 yards in Toronto and now the 90-yarder on Labour Day – are among the six longest all-time for the Stamps.

Finch now has 786 punt-return yards in 2017. That’s 222 yards more than his closest pursuer in the league stats and already the fifth-best single-season total in Stamps history with eight games left on the docket.

In just 24 games as a Stamp, Finch ranks seventh in the team record books with 1,779 career punt-return yards and he needs just 10 yards to pass Lynn Bottoms for sixth place.

Big week for Parker

It’s been a better-than-average stretch for Anthony Parker.

First, he and his wife Patricia welcomed a baby girl – their fourth child – into the world.

Then, just a few days later, Parker celebrated his 100th regular-season game in the CFL with a rushing touchdown in the win over the Eskimos. It’s Parker’s third career major in the Labour Day Classic over the past four years.

It’s also the second time he’s had a big game after a new addition to the family. Back in 2015, he had 122 receiving yards including a 70-yard touchdown at BC during the same week his son Karmel was born.