Henry Burris throws five TDs to lead Tiger-Cats over Alouettes 41-28

HAMILTON – Henry Burris threw five touchdown passes Friday as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Montreal Alouettes 41-28.

Andy Fantuz and Dave Stala each had two TD catches for the Tiger-Cats, while Chris Williams had the other.

Friday marked the fifth time Burris, who finished 28-of-32 passing for 326 yards and one interception, has thrown five touchdowns in a game.

With the win, the Ticats improved to 5-8, while the East Division-leading Alouettes dropped to 8-5.

Burris’ first touchdown pass of the game, a five-yarder to Fantuz that capped a 74-yard drive on Hamilton’s first possession, gave him 285 career TD passes and moved him past Tracy Ham for fifth all-time.

Adrian McPherson, Jamel Richardson, Chris Jennings and S. J. Green each scored for Montreal.

Hamilton kicker Luca Congi hit both field-goal attempts, from 24 and 14 yards, while Avon Cobourne ran the ball 19 times for 111 yards.

Burris threw four touchdown passes in the first half alone. The Ticats never punted the ball away as Hamilton took a 31-14 lead into the locker-room after recording 20 first downs, 301 yards of offence while controlling the ball for more than 20 minutes.

Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo was 12-of-23 passing for 197 yards and two touchdowns.

After the scoring cooled off in the third quarter, Hamilton penalties on a punt return put them back on their own 12. On the first play from scrimmage, Burris forced a pass down the middle and it was intercepted by Chip Cox at the Hamilton 24 and returned to the 21. The momentum could have changed, but the Ticat defence shut down the Als at third-and-three on the 14.

Montreal got another chance on its next possession. A 41-yard punt return to the Hamilton 19 by Trent Guy set up a five-yard TD run by Jennings as Montreal pulled to within 10 points at 31-21.

But Hamilton opened the fourth quarter by finishing a 75-yard drive with Burris’ 17-yard TD strike to Stala and a 38-21 lead.

A Hamilton field goal and Calvillo’s second touchdown pass of the game, to Green with 2:16 left, made it 41-28. Montreal tried an onside kick but failed to gain control and Hamilton ran out the clock with a little more than two minutes left.

After scoring on their opening possession of the game, the Ticats followed with a 62-yard scoring drive that ended with a three-yard TD pass to Williams.

It looked like Hamilton had everything under control when the defence stalled a Montreal drive to end the first quarter, sacking Calvillo to put the Als out of field-goal range. But Sean Whyte punted the ball 45 yards to the Ticat three-yard line to open the second and on the first play from scrimmage, Hamilton running back Chevon Walker fumbled the ball.

It was recovered by Montreal’s Rod Davis at the Hamilton eight-yard line. Two plays later, backup quarterback McPherson ran it in for a one-yard score.

A penalty on the ensuing kickoff proved costly as Hamilton’s Onrea Jones ran back the rekick 57 yards to the Montreal 30-yard line. Two plays later, Burris hit Fantuz from eight-yards out for the receiver’s second score of the game.

Montreal responded with a 53-yard drive on three plays, culminating with Calvillo’s 21-yard TD strike to Richardson. Hamilton marched right back with a 77-yard scoring drive that ate up five minutes and ended when Burris hit Stala from four-yards out.

Congi’s 24-yard field goal with time expired made it 31-14.

Notes: Montreal and Hamilton split the first two games between the clubs this season. … The Alouettes haven’t won at Ivor Wynne in five trips, including a 39-24 loss on July 21.