The Alouettes of Montreal face off against the Tiger-Cats in a highly anticipated playoff match on Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Stadium. This clash marks the first playoff encounter for Montreal in Hamilton in 55 years. The last time the Alouettes won a playoff game at this venue was in 1970.
Recent Performance and Historical Context
Montreal will be trying to break a long playoff drought against Hamilton, after losing both regular-season matchups earlier this year. The Tiger-Cats secured convincing victories, with scores of 35-17 and 26-9. Notably, Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander was not in play during these encounters.
Game Highlights
- The first major play occurred in the second quarter with Wesley Sutton intercepting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell.
- Montreal’s Jose Maltos-Diaz kicked a 29-yard field goal to put his team ahead.
- Hamilton’s Marc Liegghio equalized with a similar 29-yard field goal just before halftime.
- Another field goal from Maltos-Diaz, this time from 36 yards, regained the lead for Montreal.
- The first touchdown of the game came from Alexander, who connected with Tyler Snead for 28 yards.
- Mitchell narrowed the gap with a three-yard touchdown pass to Shemar Bridges in the third quarter.
Team Dynamics and Strategies
This marks the fourth consecutive appearance for the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Final. They will host the event for the first time since 2019, the year they reached the Grey Cup. The Alouettes advanced to this stage by defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 42-33 the prior week, while Hamilton enjoyed a bye week.
Prior to the matchup, the Alouettes emphasized the importance of reducing turnovers. Quarterback Davis Alexander mentioned, “We focus on ball protection. I want to be an aggressor and see how they react.” Throughout the week, he analyzed turnovers across the league to avoid repeat mistakes.
Head coach Jason Maas also stressed that his team needs to stay resilient if turnovers occur. He stated, “Last year was a tough lesson. We have learned from our mistakes, and we believe we can secure a victory regardless of what happens in the game.”
Upcoming Matches
Later in the evening, the focus will shift to the Western Final, where the British Columbia Lions will visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
