By Canadian Press

Defence leads Montreal Alouettes to 25-18 win over Calgary Stampeders

Jul 30, 2023 | 8:37 PM

MONTREAL — Cornerback Kabion Ento scored the only touchdown of the game off an interception as the Montreal Alouettes beat the Calgary Stampeders 25-18 at Molson Stadium on Sunday.

The Alouettes emphasized the need to improve their pass rush coming out of a bye week — signing veteran defensive lineman and former Stampeder Shawn Lemon to help the cause — and backed it up.

Montreal’s defence limited Calgary quarterback Jake Maier to 256 yards on 24-of-44 passing and secured two interceptions. Maier, who was also sacked three times, was fortunate it wasn’t more as Montreal’s defence got its hands on a number of passes.

Under constant pressure early, Maier threw just nine yards in the first quarter before throwing an interception early in the second to Ento, who ran the ball 53 yards to the end zone in front of 18,093 fans at Molson Stadium.

Montreal (3-3) moved into second place in the East Division with the win, leapfrogging the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Ottawa Redblacks.

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Calgary slipped to 2-5 ahead of a difficult stretch in the CFL season. The Stampeders haven’t had a losing season since 2007.

Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo appeared to hurt his hand in the second quarter and also had trouble producing with 158 passing yards on 16-of-29 completions. Running back William Stanback had his best showing of the season, producing 86 yards on 15 carries.

Both kickers contributed heavily to the score line. David Cote went 6-for-7 on field goals and kicked a rouge. Calgary kicker Rene Paredes, who was playing in his 200th career game, was perfect at 6-for-6 to score all 18 Calgary points.

Calgary’s Reggie Begelton led all with 102 receiving yards.

Paredes opened the scoring with a 50-yard field goal two minutes in. Fajardo then started the game with a 31-yard pass to Kaion Julien-Grant — leading to a Montreal kick to tie it. Cote hit another field goal with 4:01 left in the first to take the lead.

After Ento’s interception, Calgary had a chance to get a touchdown on its ensuing possession, but Montreal’s defence continued giving Maier trouble, sacking him on second and five to force a 32-yard field goal from Paredes to make it 13-6 Montreal.

Montreal and Calgary traded field goals to end the half. The break went an extra 40 minutes due to lightning strikes near the stadium, forcing a Cirque du Soleil halftime show inside a field house nearby.

Touchdowns proved hard to come by in the second half as both Calgary and Montreal continued to settle for field goals despite getting in the red zone.

With Montreal leading 22-15 with five minutes left, Maier led Calgary to the Alouettes 30-yard line but the Stampeders once again settled for a field goal — Paredes’s sixth — after two incomplete passes.

After Cote kicked his sixth field goal of the game to make it 25-18, Montreal’s defence stood tall again as defensive back Kordell Rodgers picked off Maier with 1:33 remaining.

As the game came down to the wire, Montreal held off multiple Calgary attempts near the end zone to secure the win.

UP NEXT

The Alouettes visit the Tiger-Cats (3-4) on Saturday. Montreal’s next three games come against teams that have lost their starting quarterbacks to injury — Hamilton, Saskatchewan and Ottawa.

The Stampeders embark on a difficult stretch in their schedule, beginning Friday at home against the unbeaten Toronto Argonauts (6-0). Calgary then plays the B.C. Lions, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Argonauts again.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2023.

Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press