Calgary Stampeders’ Jameer Thurman intercepts the ball intended for Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ Sean Thomas Erlington to win the game in overtime during CFL football action in Hamilton, Ont., Saturday, June 18, 2022.Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press
A 35-yard field goal by Rene Paredes in overtime put the finishing touches on overcoming a 24-point deficit to pull out a 33-30 CFL win for the Calgary Stampeders in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ home opener on Saturday.
The Tiger-Cats (0-2) let a 24-3 first-half lead slip away and wasted an outstanding performance by quarterback Dane Evans, who threw for three touchdowns and was 36-of-51 for 425 yards.
But Evans was intercepted in the Ticats’ possession in overtime.
Playing behind a revamped offensive line, Evans promised to improve after a season-opening loss in Saskatchewan against the Roughriders last week.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and the Stampeders (2-0) made life uncomfortable for the Ticats in the fourth quarter. A second Mitchell touchdown pass, this time a 17-yard connection to wide receiver Reggie Begelton with 5:48 remaining, closed the gap to 27-20.
Defensive back Titus Wall then stripped Evans bare with a sneaky quarterback pass and jumped 45 yards for the game-tying touchdown.
The teams traded 39-yard field goals late. Michael Domagala batted for Hamilton with 79 seconds remaining, and Paredes snapped the posts as regulation time expired.
The visitors won the initial coin toss. But they gave in to the Ticats, who started with the wind and the ball before 22,711 fans at Tim Hortons Field.
Hamilton employed a no-huddle offense in the wind to build a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. The first drive resulted in a 21-yard field goal.
Evans hit running back Sean Thomas Erlington for a 14-yard touchdown pass and completed a 38-yard bomb to Steven Dunbar on the final play of the first quarter.
The wind didn’t help the Stampeders get back on track in the second quarter. Instead, Hamilton added another touchdown on a fantastic catch by Tim White.
White circled Calgary defensive back Dionte Ruffin to catch Evans’ 25-yarder for a 24-0 lead with 2:08 left in the half.
The Stampeders marched down the field to settle for a 28-yard field goal from Paredes.
The Ticats had two missed scoring opportunities early in the second quarter. First, Wall took out Evans in the end zone.
But an interception by Hamilton’s Jovan Santos-Knox put the home team up at the 15-yard line, and then the Ticats gave up the ball on opportunities.
After Hamilton’s fumble, the Stampeders marched for 103 yards on Mitchell’s seven completions.
The drive resulted in an eight-yard drive to Luther Hakanavanhu and a 24-10 lead for the Ticats after three quarters.
The Stampeders started the fourth quarter with the ball and the wind at their backs. Paredes drilled a 46-yard field goal after Hamilton defensive back Tunde Adeleke brought down former Calgary teammate Peyton Logan with a clean hit to cause an incomplete pass.
The Ticats responded with a 59-yard drive for an 18-yard field goal and their first points of the second half.
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