Game Summary

It was fitting that the launch of the 1998 CFL season took place on Canada Day as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hosted the Montreal Alouettes. Over 22,000 fans cheered wildly as newly acquired RB Sean Millington opened the scoring with a 1-yard power run at 7:14 of the first quarter. K Troy Westwood’s convert was good pacing the Bombers to the early lead. Rookie QB T.J. Rubley threw the first TD pass of his CFL career when he spotted WR Larry Thompson down the field for a 49-yard completion at 9:11 of the second stanza. Westwood was good on the convert. Montreal dominated the rest of the quarter as K Terry Baker opened the scoring for Montreal with a 50-yard FG at 11:06. This was followed by a 40-yard TD run by RB Mike Pringle at 12:58. Baker was good on the convert and added 46-yard FG at the end of the quarter making the score 14-13 at the half for the home team. In the third, Pringle scored his second TD of the afternoon scampering in from 1-yard out. Baker was good on the convert and then proceeded to nail a 32-yard FG at 13:36. In the final quarter of play Westwood split the uprights from 24-yards out closing the gap to 6 points. At 10:36 Baker scored a 58 yard punting single and then hoofed a 29-yard FG at 12:07. Winnipeg attempted a late rally as Rubley found SB Chris Armstrong for a 20-yard TD reception. Westwood’s convert made the final score 27-24 in favour of the Alouettes.