Stampeders erase 24-point deficit to best Tiger-Cats in OT

A Rene Paredes 35-yard field shot in overtime gave Calgary Stampeders a victory in the CFL. It helped them overcome a 24-point deficit and win 33-30 in Hamilton’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats home opener.

The Tiger-Cats (0-2) let a 24-3 lead slip in the first half and wasted an outstanding performance from quarterback Dane Evans who threw three touchdowns, and completed 36 out of 51 for 425 yards.

Evans was caught in OT while Evans was in Ticats possession.

In the fourth quarter, the Ticats were made uncomfortable by the Stampeders (2-0) and Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell. Mitchell’s second touchdown pass, this one a 17-yard touchdown to Reggie Begelton, brought the score to 27-20.

Titus Wall, defensive back, stripped Evans of a quarterback sneak and pranced 45 yard for the game-tying touchdown.

In the end, the teams traded 39 yard field goals. Hamilton was hit by Michael Domagala with 79 seconds to go. Paredes then split the uprights just before regulation time expired.

The opening coin toss was won in favor of the visitors. They opted to wait for the Ticats who started with the wind, and the ball in front of 22,711 Tim Hortons Field fans.

Hamilton used a no-huddle offense with the wind to establish a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. The first drive was a 21-yard field goal.

Evans hit Sean Thomas Erlington running back for a touchdown pass of 14 yards. On the final play of the first quarter, Evans completed a 38 yard bomb to Steven Dunbar.

The Stampeders did not get on track in quarter two because of the wind. Hamilton scored another touchdown with a great catch by Tim White.

White reached around Calgary’s defensive back Dionte Ruffin and threw Evans’s 25 yard toss for a 24-0 lead with 2:08 remaining.

The Stampeders marched downfield in search of a Paredes 28-yard field goal.

The Ticats had two scoring chances in the second half, but they were unable to capitalize. First, Evans was picked off by Wall in the end zone.

Hamilton’s Jovan Santis-Knox intercepted the ball at the 15-yard line. However, the Ticats won the game on downs.

After three quarters, the drive ended in an eight-yard touchdown for Luther Hakanavanhu.

The Stampeders entered the final quarter with both wind and ball at their backs. After Hamilton’s defensive back Tunde Adeleke hit Peyton Logan with a clean hit, Paredes made a 46-yard field goal to make it incomplete.

The Ticats responded with a 59 yard drive for an 18-yard field kick and their first points of the second half.