Sask. Roughriders clinch Western Final spot
The Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the Calgary Stampeders 33-30 in overtime on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
The win earned the club a trip to Winnipeg to meet the regular-season champion Blue Bombers on Dec. 5.
“I don’t even care if I kicked the game-winning field goal. I just wanted to win this game so bad for the fans. This province deserves it so much,” Brett Lauther, Riders’ kicker said after the game.
It was his field goal from 34-yards out that clinched victory for the Riders.
Lauther kicked the field goal, the crowd went wild, but a flag laid on the 20-yard line.
“I did a double-take because I knew as soon as the ball was snapped and Kaare (Vedvik) put it down we had it, it was perfect,” said Lauther. “I was trying to stop my heart rate for a second in case I had to go back out there.”
The flag was on Calgary, the penalty was declined and the game was over.
“One hundred per cent I knew he was going to make it,” Ed Gainey, defensive star, said of his team’s kicker after the game.
By his admission, it was not Cody Fajardo’s best game -- he threw four interceptions.
“If you’d have told me I’d throw four picks and we’d win, I’d say you were psychotic,” Fajardo said after a game.
Fajardo said he was ready to throw away the statistics and focus on the win. The 29-year old starter went 22 for 33 for 189 yards with a single touchdown and four interceptions. Fajardo was also the team’s leading rusher, scampering downfield for 89 yards on ten carries.
“It was kind of a result of what they were giving us.” Fajardo said. “For me as a runner, it helps me get into the rhythm of the game, you feel the chains moving, and I think it’s something I’ve relied on most of my career.”
Head coach Craig Dickenson says while he and his quarterback know that he didn’t have his best game, he found a way to win.
“[Cody] threw some picks tonight. He knows that. He made some plays with his legs and when we needed him to make some throws, he made them. The guy’s a winner,” Craig Dickenson said of his quarterback’s performance.
Calgary’s Bo Levi Mitchell threw two interceptions, both to Ed Gainey, who credited the defensive game plan for his success.
“Defence wins championships at the end of the day,” Gainey said.
He went 26 for 36 for 285 yards with two picks. Stamps running back Ka’Deem Carey turned in another strong performance against the Roughriders, gaining 117 yards on 22 tries with a pair of touchdowns.
A penalty at the end of the first half meant the Riders kicked off from mid-field. Instead of kicking deep, head coach Craig Dickenson rolled the dice on an on-side kick. Brett Lauther sent the ball sailing high and it was A.C. Leonard who came down with it.
A major penalty was assessed to Stamps defensive end Shawn Lemon after he shoved Riders receiver Duke Williams in the face.
Following the on-side kick recovery, the Riders' offence made good on the effort. Cody Fajardo faked a pass and scampered downfield for a big gain. On the very next play, Fajardo found Kian Schaffer-Baker inside the pylon for a 25-yard touchdown and a 17-8 lead.
The Stampeders mounted a late-game rally including a pair of field goals from Rene Parades, who had two misses in the contest, including one in overtime that gave the Riders a window to win.
“The winner of this game gets to go play Goliath,” Dickenson said of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. “They’ve been the best team all year, we’re happy to be playing them, and we’re going to give them a good game.”
The West Final featuring the Riders and Bombers will take place next Sunday at 3 p.m.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
Air Canada ranks near bottom on customer satisfaction: survey
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.