Game Summary

With nothing at stake as far as standings go, both teams pinned their ears back and put on quite a show at Olympic Stadium. The Alouettes, who had second place in the Eastern Division locked up, held on to win by a 41-34 margin. They opened the games scoring at 3:20 of the first quarter when SB Jock Climie ran under a 10‐yard Tracy Ham pass for a TD. K Terry Baker added the convert and Montreal was out in front by a 7-0 score. They added to their lead at 10:19 of the opening frame when WR Chris Wright corralled a Bob Cameron punt and traveled 62 yards for the major score. Baker added his second convert of the game and the Als were out to a 14-0 lead. Winnipeg finally got on the scoreboard at 12:25 of the first stanza when WR Milt Stegall hooked up with QB Chris Vargas for a 52-yard major. K Troy Westwood’s convert attempt was successful and the Montreal lead was cut to 7. The Bombers recorded their second major of the game on the final play of the first quarter when RB Ronald Williams plunged into the end zone from 1-yard out. Westwood’s second convert of the match tied the game at 14. Westwood put the Bombers out in front at 2:06 of the second quarter when his 41-yard FG attempt sailed through the uprights. Baker countered at 10:06 with a 36-yard effort but Westwood restored the Bombers’ 3-point lead at 14:30 when he booted a 37 yarder to close out the first half scoring with Winnipeg on top by a 20-17 margin. Winnipeg opened up the third quarter scoring at 4:48 when Williams tallied his second 1-yard rushing TD. Westwood’s convert increased the Bombers’ lead to 10. However the Alouettes responded at 7:36 when Ham found WR Chris Armstrong open for a 12-yard TD. Baker added his third convert of the game and Winnipeg’s lead was cut to just 3. Montreal recaptured the lead at 14:26 when RB Mike Pringle scampered into the end zone from 14 yards out. Bakers fourth convert of the match put Montreal out in front by a 31-27 score after three periods of play. Baker opened the fourth quarter scoring with a 37-yard FG at 5:27 increasing their lead to 34-27. They put the game out of reach at 7:07 when S Tom Europe scooped up a Vargas fumble and returned it 99 yards for the TD. Baker’s fifth convert of the game made the score 40-27. Winnipeg would counter back when Stegall was on the receiving end of a Vargas 30-yard TD pass but it was too little too late as Montreal recorded their twelfth victory of the ’97 campaign.