Tiger-Cats beat Redblacks 39-36 in double OT, secure playoff spot with win

Maher, who had four field goals and a single, was asked if it felt good to have success against the team he played for during the 2014 season.

“I’d be lying if I said no,” said Maher. “There’s a lot of good guys in that locker room that I talk to before and after the game, but more importantly we got a big division win at an important time of the year.”

“I feel like I got a monkey off my back and I finally got a win in Ottawa. They’re a good franchise and a good team and I have a lot of respect for them, but at the same time we play to win.”

The Redblacks turned the ball over on their second possession of overtime after quarterback Henry Burris was stripped while being sacked.

Maher had an 18-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime to give the Tiger-Cats a 36-33 lead but Chris Milo connected from 45-yards out to tie the game 36-36.

“It’s disappointing. At this time of year you want to be playing your best football and we showed we can be a pretty good team at times. I’ll give Hamilton credit. They made the plays they needed to win the game and we obviously fell short,” Redblacks coach Rick Campbell said.

“Guys are disappointed because it was a huge opportunity and things were looking good. Just goes to show you have to play for 60 minutes and finish the game and we didn’t get it done.”

At 2:42 of the fourth quarter, a 10-yard touchdown pass from Masoli to John Chiles, once converted, pulled the Tiger-Cats to within a single point of the Redblacks. Burris responded with a four-yard touchdown pass to Ernest Jackson, but the extra point was wide and the lead was seven at 33-26.

Hamilton tied the game tied the game when CJ Gable completed a five-yard catch-and-run touchdown from Masoli with less than five minutes to play.

The Tiger-Cats scored the only points of the third quarter thanks to a one-yard touchdown run from Jeff Mathews on the first drive of the second half and a single point off a 37-yard missed field-goal attempt from Maher, cutting their deficit to 27-19.

The Redblacks scored on all of their first-half possessions except one — an interception thrown by Burris — as they took a 27-12 lead into the second half.

The lone punt of the half came off the foot of Maher, but it led to six points for the Tabbies after Tristan Jackson misplayed the punt and the ball ended up on the Ottawa 20-yard line.

Three plays later Masoli completed a four-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Elliott at 13:28, but the failed extra point left Hamilton trailing 20-12.

Burris then marched the Redblacks down the field and with just nine seconds to play in the half Mossis Madu Jr., ran the ball in for a two-yard score and a 27-12 Redblacks lead after Milo converted the play.

Prior to that, Milo and Maher traded respective field goals of 12 and 34 yards in the opening four minutes of the half giving the Redblacks a 13-6 lead.

After Antoine Pruneau intercepted Masoli on the Ottawa goal line and returned the ball 53 yards, Burris connected with Jeron Griner for an 18-yard touchdown reception, putting the Redblacks ahead 20-6.

Milo had opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game to give the Redblacks a 3-0 lead, but Maher tied the score on the Tiger-Cats first drive with a 38-yard field goal of his own.

An 11-yard touchdown pass from Burris to Jackson late in the first quarter gave the Redblacks a 10-3 lead.

The Redblacks will have a home-and-home series with the Blue Bombers starting next week in Winnipeg to close out their regular season. The Tiger-Cats will host the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes in their final two games.

Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Tiger-Cats beat Redblacks 39-36 in double OT, secure playoff spot with win

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