Montreal Alouettes 23 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32 (July 5, 2007)
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0 commentsMilt Stegall didn't get his CFL-record touchdown Thursday night, but the Winnipeg Blue Bombers didn't need it as they defeated the Montreal Alouettes 32-23.
Needing one touchdown to set a new CFL all-time TD record, Stegall had a number of opportunities - including four good chances late in the second quarter - but couldn't notch the much-anticipated score in front of a sold-out crowd of 29,533 fans at Canad Inns Stadium.
The 13-year Bomber veteran sits in a three-way tie with former running backs Mike Pringle and George Reed at 137 regular-season TDs.
Stegall finished with four catches for 34 yards.
Winnipeg moves to a 1-0-1 record while the Alouettes begin the season 0-2-0 for the first time since 1996.
Winnipeg's TDs came off a fumble recovery in the end zone by safety Greg Bearman, a one-yard carry by running back Charles Roberts, a 19-yard reception by Chris Brazzell and a 62-yard catch-and-run by Terrence Edwards.
Winnipeg kicker Rob Pikula rounded out his team's scoring with a 35-yard field goal and a single after going wide on a 30-yard attempt.
Montreal running back Robert Edwards scored his team's lone TD on a one-yard run. Kicker Damon Duval booted five field goals from 22, 33, 37, 40 and 51 yards - the 51-yarder was a career-best - and added singles off misses from 43 and 44 yards.
Pikula, in his second CFL season, was acquired last week in a trade with B.C. and replaced 17-year veteran Troy Westwood.
Westwood - the team's all-time leading scorer - was a healthy scratch, ending his streak of 279 consecutive games. He went 1-for-4 on field goals in Winnipeg's 39-39 tie with Edmonton last week, prompting head coach Doug Berry to bring in Pikula and kicker Clinton Greathouse (on the practice roster).
Edwards scored his 62-yard TD in the third and Duval add a field goal and a single to make it 29-17 after three quarters.
Duval's two fourth-quarter field goals came off turnovers. Montreal linebacker Timothy Strickland intercepted a Glenn pass and Bomber fullback Gilles Lezi fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Boulay.
Montreal scored 13 unanswered points in the first quarter, but Winnipeg replied with 22 points of its own in the second to take a 22-13 lead at halftime.
Montreal running back Mike Imoh fumbled on a punt return in the end zone and Bearman jumped on the ball to close the gap 13-8 at 5:26 of the second.
From Montreal's eight-yard line late in the second, Winnipeg quarterback Kevin Glenn fired the ball to Stegall, but it was knocked away by Davis Sanchez at the goal-line.
On the next play, the ball went Stegall's way again, but it was high and Montreal safety Etienne Boulay was called for holding Stegall's jersey. Roberts then pushed in for the one-yard TD at 12:46.
Good coverage and a high pass nixed Stegall's other two possible TDs.
Glenn completed 22 of 38 passes for 298, two TDs and two interceptions. Als quarterback Anthony Calvillo was 20-of-38 for 220 yards.
courtesy of cfl.ca
Date
July 5, 2007
