In what many Canadian Football League fans were calling a measuring stick game for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, they failed to measure up to the defending Grey Cup champions on Friday night.
20,426 fans at Tim Hortons Field left disappointed after watching the Montreal Alouettes beat the Ticats 33-16 to improve to a league-best 7-1. The loss ended Hamilton’s modest two-game winning streak and dropped the Cats to 2-6 on the season.
The two teams will face off again in a Week 10 rematch in Montreal on Aug. 10.
Hamilton QB Bo Levi Mitchell struggled against the Alouettes defence, completing 29 of 42 pass attempts for 240 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Mitchell completed only two passes longer than 15 yards while Montreal had 10 completions of 15-plus yards.
Davis Alexander made his first CFL start in place of injured Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo and went 19-for-27 for 262 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
That interception was made by Hamilton defensive back Kenneth George Jr. who returned the ball for a 18-yard TD that gave the Ticats a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
That lead evaporated about six minutes later when Alexander connected with receiver Charleston Rambo on a 24-yard TD to even the score.
Montreal’s backup pivot Caleb Evans ran for a one-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter and added a 39-yard touchdown pass to fullback David Dallaire to make it 27-8. Evans left the game with a right knee injury with under two minutes to play.
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Mitchell’s lone touchdown drive of the game ended with a 26-yard pass to Tim White with 2:45 remaining in the game.
Alouettes running back Walter Fletcher rounded out the scoring about a minute later with a five-yard touchdown run.
Friday’s win was Montreal’s seventh consecutive victory on the road dating back to last season.