Stampeders survive western shootout against Eskimos

Coming off a disappointing loss that saw his performance widely criticized, Calgary quarterback Henry Burris rebounded in a big way in the Stampeders' thrilling 34-32 win over the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday.

Burris threw for 323 yards including two touchdowns and ran for an additional 69 yards, while kicker Sandro DeAngelis kicked a last-second 34-yard field goal for the Stampeders (3-3), who moved into third place in the CFL's West Division with the win.

"It was a big win on the road and in Edmonton which is even bigger," he said. "To be able to do that, the guys are all up and excited.

"When it was time to make the plays we always came back and responded and that shows the character of this team. To be able to weather the storm and come back like we did shows that."

Ricky Ray was strong in defeat for the Eskimos (2-3-1), completing 24 of 34 pass attempts for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Kamau Peterson also performed well for Edmonton, grabbing two receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

"Those are the toughest losses," said Ray. "We got blown out (54-14) in Saskatchewan last week but you look at that film and know you didn't deserve to win.

"These close ones, they really hurt bad, because you feel like maybe one play here or one play there could have made the difference."

Joffrey Reynolds had another solid game for the Stampeders, whose success in the win column seems tied to the performance of their running back.

Led by Reynolds, the Stampeders entered the game averaging a league-best 126 yards rushing per game.

Accumulating 309 yards through five games and averaging 5.9 yards per carry, Reynolds ran for 195 total yards in Calgary's two wins, but in the team's three losses, he was limited to only 111 yards.

On Saturday, Reynolds ran for 73 yards including a key touchdown run against an Eskimos defence which ranks at the bottom of the league in total yards allowed per game but looked improved relative to its humiliating 54-14 defeat at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 5.

Edmonton's improved defensive effort was even more remarkable given the ejection of two defensive starters in the second quarter.

At the five-minute mark of the second, the provincial rivals renewed hostilities as a skirmish broke out after a whistle. Veteran middle linebacker A.J. Gass eventually ripped the helmet off a Stampeder player and launched it up field, which led to his ejection.

Linebacker Kenny Onatolu was also ejected from the game for throwing a punch in the altercation, which also cost the Eskimos 20 yards in penalties.

"There's no question that number 64 (Calgary's Jeff Pilon) pushed A.J.," Eskimos head coach Danny Maciocia told CBC Sports at halftime. "We've just got to be stronger and walk away from it, but how do you blame the guys for coming to each other's defence?"

With Calgary up 24-20 early in the fourth quarter, Reynolds found a hole up the middle and rambled 46 yards into the end zone to make it 31-22.

But Edmonton battled back as Peterson made a diving 24-yard catch for a touchdown to tighten the score to 31-29.

Following a roughing the kicker penalty against the Stampeders on a Sean Fleming field goal attempt Edmonton received a first-and-goal situation but couldn't punch it in. Fleming came back out and nailed a nine-yarder to put the Eskimos ahead 32-31 with 1:38 left to play.

Those missed points cost Edmonton dearly as the Stampeders proceeded to march downfield to set up the decisive kick by DeAngelis, the 26-year-old native of Niagara Falls, who is in his third year with the Stampeders.

"It's extremely frustrating,"said Maciocia. "You are scrimmaging from the one and think you are going to score a touchdown so they'd need a major to beat you, and then you get stopped and have to settle for a field goal and they still have a good chance at the end with a good kicker like they have.

"It's very frustrating."

Teams trade scores in back-and-forth affair

Fleming opened the scoring for the Eskimos with a punt single in the first, but Calgary responded with an impressive opening drive before settling for a DeAngelis field goal.

Calgary built its lead to 10-1 as Burris found Brett Ralph for a 10-yard passing TD early in the second quarter.

Edmonton cut the score to 10-5 on an 18-yard Fleming field goal and a single on the ensuing kickoff.

After Jason Flowers recovered a fumble by Ralph near midfield on the ensuing Calgary drive, Ray led the Eskimos downfield — allowing Fleming to kick a 35-yard field goal to make the score 10-8.

Calgary's next drive was helped considerably after the penalties to Gass and Onatolu and resulted in Jeremaine Copeland hauling in a four-yard strike from Burris in the back of the end zone to increase Calgary's lead to 17-8 just before the half.

But the Eskimos put together their first solid drive of the contest before entering the locker room. As Ray managed to evade the pressure of a collapsing pocket, the quarterback rolled right and fired a 20-yard pass to Peterson to keep the Eskimos' drive alive.

T.J. Acree then hauled in a 21-yard pass at the right sideline near the goal line to set up a five-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Ebell. Fleming converted the extra point and Edmonton trailed the Stampeders by 17-15 at the half.

Burris opened the third quarter by connecting with Nik Lewis on a 38-yard pass to to set up a 38-yard field goal from DeAngelis to put Calgary up 20-15.

But Edmonton regained the lead on the ensuing drive as Ebell hauled in a 10-yard pass from Ray and Ron McClendon followed by exploding up the middle for a 38-yard run.

Peterson capped the blistering three-play drive by catching a 27-yard pass from Ray to put the Eskimos up 22-20.

The Stampeders chipped away by gaining one point back on a single from a missed field goal and reclaimed thelead after DeAngelis booted a 42-yard field goal to put Calgary ahead 24-22 after three quarters.

Calgary will have little time to celebrate the victory as they move on to face the Montreal Alouettes next Thursday, while the Eskimos play at home against Hamilton next Saturday (CBC, 9:30 p.m. ET).