While “Canada’s Team” was winning a CFL game on two muted TV screens inside a local sports bar, another “Canada’s Team” was heartlessly losing a Stanley Cup playoff game on the other three screens, complete with sound from the hockey telecast.
It was quite a dichotomy and jarringly unusual to not hear TSN’s play-by-play of a televised football game in a place known for staunchly supporting its Saskatchewan Roughriders, particularly while the voices of Sportsnet’s Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson described every dagger thrown at the Edmonton Oilers during the hockey telecast.
When Saturday’s sport sagas ended, fans wearing green Roughriders jerseys happily departed Boston Pizza Acre 21’s lounge after their CFL team improved to 2-0 by beating the hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28-23. That came despite Saskathewan’s veteran kicker Brett Lauther leaving 10 points on the field by missing three FGs and a convert. Lauther had made 23 straight field goals before going 2-for-5 in Hamilton.
“A lot of busts on defence,” Riders head coach Corey Mace said during his post-game media conference. “Obviously a tough night for our special teams and our kicking game. But our offence was efficient for a majority of the night.
“We want to continue to push to get these guys in the end zone. We put ourselves in position to score points, so that’s what you want.”
The hockey game ended shortly afterwards, sending away fans in blue-and-orange Edmonton Oilers jerseys with the unhappy realization that their NHL team’s 5-2 defeat puts them one loss away from dropping a second straight Stanley Cup to the Florida Panthers.
“One outta two,” said a departing patron.
For historical context, the Roughriders proclaimed themselves as “Canada’s Team” a few decades ago because of their wide following across the country, partly because so many people left Saskatchewan for opportunities in other provinces. The title didn’t sit well with other CFL teams, so it barely resonates these days.
Meanwhile the Oilers are “Canada’s Team” because they’re trying to become the first Canadian hockey franchise to win a Stanley Cup since the 1992-93 Montreal Canadiens. Indeed, the Oilers’ glory days of winning five Stanley Cups from 1984-90 built them a healthy following throughout Saskatchewan.
Game 6 in the best-of-seven hockey series is slated for Tuesday in Florida.
The Roughriders next play Friday, travelling again to Ontario to play the reigning Grey Cup-champion Toronto Argonauts, who are winless in two games without injured quarterback Chad Kelly. Eastern road trips used to flummox the Roughriders, but it shouldn’t be scary because this year’s squad has shown impressive poise during its two victories, both times falling behind 7-0 before rallying.
The Roughriders trailed 7-6 at halftime, but took a third-quarter lead when defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. intercepted Ti-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell and returned it 67 yards for a touchdown. Riders quarterback Trevor Harris, playing again behind a reorganized offensive line that included first-game starter Daniel Johnson at left tackle, was sacked only once while completing 26 of 37 passes for 295 yards.
Harris was intercepted once and threw a 15-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown pass to KeeSean Johnson, who caught 11 passes for 124 yards playing slotback in an offence that also needed reorganizing without injured receivers Kian Schaffer-Baker and, late in the game, Samuel Emilus. Running back A.J. Ouellette, platooning with Argos castoff Ka’Deem Carey, carried 13 times for 96 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown.
Saskatchewan’s defence continued to rely heavily on zone coverages, although another unexpected, late-game blitz by middle linebacker Jameer Thurman provided a huge sack. Mitchell threw for 336 yards, one game after the Ottawa Redblacks gained 413 aerial yards.
“Perfection, I don’t think, is a thing specifically in this game,” said Mace. “I don’t think we were even close to the expectations of ourselves, So we’ll continue to chase it and hope to never cross the perfection finish line.
“They just give us something to do.”
There are certainly some details to work on. The Roughriders won’t panic yet about their kicking game, nor will they fret about surrendering passing yards. The Roughriders are superb at stopping the run (allowing only 51 rushing yards while compiling 133) and they had only three penalties (to Hamilton’s five).
The calmness they showed in their first game carried through this game, despite the slow start. And the Roughriders will soon have the undivided attention of sports fans across the province again, regardless if the Oilers win or lose their coveted cup.
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