WINNIPEG (CFL.ca wire) — The B.C. Lions defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-14 at the 94th Grey Cup in front of 44,786 fans at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Montreal won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. B.C. elected to go on defence on the first series, and Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo threw two incomplete passes to begin the game.
B.C. quarterback Dave Dickenson responded with four consecutive passes before rushing for a 12-yard gain setting up a first down on the Montreal 32. Two plays later, B.C. settled for a Paul McCallum 34-yard field goal to go ahead 3-0.
The Als were forced to punt again on their second possession, putting the Lions on their own 18-yard line. Joe Smith reeled off a 17-yard run on the first play, and after another first down, Dickenson hit Ryan Thelwell with a 14-yard pass past midfield. Paris Jackson made a 14-yard catch of his own but Buck Pierce, filling in for Dickenson, was sacked for a nine-yard loss by Adriano Belli. Dickenson came back in and hit Thelwell with a 16-yard pass, setting up a McCallum 35-yard field goal.
Aaron Hunt forced Calvillo to fumble on the next play, with Javy Glatt recovering the ball on the Montreal 23. This set up another McCallum field goal, this one from 24 yards out.
B.C. was in possession of the ball for 10:26 of the opening quarter.
The Als finally forced B.C. to punt early in the second quarter, but were pinned on their own two-yard line on a coffin corner punt. Montreal got one first down before being forced to punt again. Starting on his own 43-yard line, Jackson made a highlight reel 18-yard catch. Ian Smart took it 25 yards the rest of the way for the game’s opening touchdown.
After another two-and-out for the Als, the Montreal defence was able to stop the Lions on their own 28-yard line. Montreal got the ball back on its own 46 and got a couple of first downs to set up Damon Duval field goal attempt from the 47 that was kicked wide left and returned out of the end zone to negate a single point.
The Als defence held again, giving Montreal possession on its own 48-yard line with 2:26 remaining in the half. Calvillo hit Ben Cahoon for a 25-yard again. Duval was good on a 43-yard field goal, putting the Alouettes in flight.
McCallum booted a 30-yard field goal as the second half expired to put the Lions ahead 19-3.
Early in the third quarter, Dickenson appeared to fumble the ball on a sack by R-Kal Truluck which was recovered by Chip Cox who had nothing but daylight for a touchdown. But Jake Ireland ruled Dickenson was down before the losing the ball, which was overturned by instant replay, the first in Grey Cup history. By rule, the Als got the ball on the B.C. 42, and were forced to punt. Duval got a coffin corner kick, pinning the Lions on their own one-yard line. McCallum ultimately conceded two points.
The Alouettes went to work from their own 35-yard line. Calvillo hit Mike Vilimek on a 16-yard pass, then Cahoon with a 13-yard strike before calling his own number on a six-yard run. Robert Edwards ran for seven yards, followed by Thyron Anderson’s 13-yard reception. Cahoon’s 11-yard grab and Edwards’ five-yard run before a B.C. offside penalty set up Edwards’ two-yard touchdown run. With the convert Montreal trailed 19-12.
Timothy Strickland almost came up with a diving interception on B.C.’s next series.
McCallum booted a 21-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to put the Lions in front by 10. He added a 47-yard field goal to tie a Grey Cup record with his sixth.
The Alouettes were in great position to score a touchdown with 4:06 remaining in regulation, but Edwards fumbled on the one-yard line forced by Javy Glatt and recovered by B.C.’s Otis Floyd.
McCallum gave up another safety with 1:43 remaining to make the score 25-14.
