Game Summary

The Saskatchewan Roughriders flew to Vancouver this week to take on the BC Lions in a game with huge playoff repercussions. Both teams entered action sporting similar 5-9-0 records and tied for third place in the West Division. Saskatchewan scored first in the match when K Paul McCallum nailed a 47-yard FG at 2:56 of the opening quarter. Veteran K Lui Passaglia got the Lions on the scoreboard at 5:19 when his 61-yard punt sailed into the end zone and was conceded for a single by DB Terryl Ulmer. McCallum also added a single to the ’Rider cause when his 46-yard FG missed wide at 8:50. Passaglia tied the game with no time remaining in the quarter by striking a 23-yard FG. The see-saw battle continued into the second period with neither team scoring until QB Steve Sarkisian, who replaced starter Reggie Slack who left due to injury in the first quarter, found RB Mike Saunders for a 10-yard scoring play at 6:05. McCallum’s convert bumped Saskatchewan’s point total to 11. However, BC responded quickly when at 9:38 QB Damon Allen teamed up with SB Eddie Brown for 10-yard reception for the major. Passaglia’s convert tied the game at 11 points as both teams went into the locker room for halftime. In the third quarter the Lions picked up where they left off as Passaglia struck a 15-yard FG giving BC their first lead of the game at 3:19. The lead was short lived, however, as McCallum tied the game by striking a 18-yard FG at 6:55. At 10:05 BC retook the lead when Allen threw his second TD match of the night, this time to SB Rod Harris for an 18-yard play. Passaglia’s convert made the score 21-14 for the Lions at 10:16. BC began to pull away in the final stanza of play when T Mo Elewonibi caught Damon Allen’s screen pass and rumbled in 4 yards for the score at 9:25. It was Elewonibi’s first TD in the CFL and the big offensive linemen was grinning from ear to ear as Passaglia calmly nailed the convert giving BC a 28-14 lead. Passaglia added a 28-yard FG at 13:38 to complete the scoring in the match giving BC a 31-14 win. The victory propels the Lions to third place in the West Division while regulating Saskatchewan to fourth.