By Canadian Press

David Cote boots game-winning field goal as Alouettes nip Ticats 23-20 in overtime

Oct 2, 2021 | 5:52 PM

HAMILTON — David Cote’s 36-yard field goal in overtime earned the Montreal Alouettes a come-from-behind 23-20 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday.

Cote’s game-winning boot came after Montreal’s Chris Ackie recovered Sean Thomas-Erlington’s fumble on Hamilton’s first possession of overtime.

Taylor Bertolet’s 55-yard field goal into the wind on the final play of regulation forced overtime. It came after Vernon Adams Jr.’s 28-yard TD strike to Eugene Lewis with 29 seconds remaining put Montreal ahead 20-17.

Adams’ toss came on third-and-20 after he was sacked by Hamilton’s Tunde Adeleke. With the game on the line, Adams Jr. calmly found Lewis for the go-ahead touchdown.

Ackie’s sack of Hamilton’s Jeremiah Masoli for an 11-yard loss allowed Montreal to get the ball back at the Ticats’ 49-yard line with 1:25 remaining.

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Adams Jr.’s 26-yard TD pass to Jake Wieneke at 2:10 cut Hamilton’s lead to 17-10. It was set up by Nick Usher’s fumble recovery at the Hamilton 26-yard line.

Montreal (3-4) overcame a 17-3 fourth-quarter deficit to earn its first win in three games. The Alouettes snapped Hamilton’s 11-game home win streak while evening the season series with the Ticats at 1-1.

Hamilton (4-4) remains tied with idle Toronto (4-3) atop the East Division standings.

Cote’s 30-yard field goal at 6:11 of the fourth pulled Montreal to within 17-13.

Adams Jr. missed most of the first half with an ankle injury late in the first quarter but returned on Montreal’s opening possession of the third.

Adams Jr. came into the contest having thrown a CFL-high 11 touchdown passes. And with him at quarterback, Montreal entered action leading the CFL in offensive points (24.3 per game), offensive yards (413.2), time of possession (32 minutes, 39 seconds) and rushing yards (154.2).

And running back William Stanback (618 yards, 6.4-yard average) came in as the CFL rushing leader.

Thomas-Erlington had Hamilton’s touchdown. Bralon Addison had a two-point convert while Bertolet kicked four field goals.

Cote also had two three goals and a convert for Montreal. 

Thomas-Erlington recovered his own fumble for a 13-yard TD run six minutes into the third. Then Masoli hit Addison for the two-point convert and a 17-3 Hamilton lead.

Bertolet staked Hamilton to a 9-3 lead with a 37-yard field goal at 3:29 of the third.

Hamilton took a 6-3 lead into halftime after Cote’s 42-yard attempt to end the second fell just short into the wind. But it was a half of missed opportunities for the Ticats.

Hamilton appeared to go ahead 10-3 when Masoli hit Tim White on a 40-yard TD strike at 12:31. But Montreal successfully challenged the play and it was called back by an offensive pass-interference call against White.

But Montreal returned the favour with an illegal contact penalty that helped keep Hamilton’s second drive alive as Bertolet’s 25-yard field goal at 13:59 gave the Ticats their half-time edge.

Bertolet opened the scoring with a 32-yard boot to end the first. He had a chance to do so earlier but missed from 45 yards out after punter Joel Whitford recovered Adarius Pickett’s fumble on a punt return at the Montreal 47-yard line.

Cote’s 13-yard field goal at 8:04 of the second made it 3-3. It capped a nine-play, 97-yard drive that included Matthew Shiltz’s 68-yard completion to Quan Bray.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2021.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press