CALGARY — Nik Lewis caught a 16-yard touchdown pass in overtime as the Calgary Stampeders rallied from a 17-point fourth quarter deficit for a thrilling 41-38 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.
Lewis finished the game with three touchdown receptions, while Larry Taylor also hauled in a late TD pass in the fourth quarter from Kevin Glenn. Rene Paredes kicked four field goals for the Stamps (2-2), who snapped a two-game losing streak. Calgary also recorded a turnover.
Kory Sheets ran for a pair of touchdowns for the Roughriders (3-1), who had the first possession in overtime, but had to settle for a 50-yard field goal by Chris Milo.
Saskatchewan’s Chris Getzlaf and Weston Dressler caught touchdown passes from starting quarterback Darian Durant, while backup QB Drew Willy threw a TD pass to Neal Hughes.
Calgary trailed 35-18 after Sheets plunged into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown five minutes into the fourth quarter. But Lewis then caught a 21-yard TD pass from Glenn with 5:17 left in the game before Calgary linebacker Malik Jackson intercepted an errant pass by Durant and ran it back 23 yards into Saskatchewan territory. On the next play, Glenn tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Taylor to pull the Stamps within three points.
After the Riders went two-and-out on their next possession, Taylor fumbled the ball on the ensuing kick return to give Saskatchewan the ball back on the Calgary 39-yard line.
Two plays later, Calgary defensive lineman Charleston Hughes sacked Durant for a 13-yard loss to force another punt. The Stamps drove the ball 83 yards down the field, but had to settle for a 17-yard field goal by Paredes to tie the game at 35-35 with 29 seconds left and force overtime.
The Stamps had opened the scoring Thursday with a 46-yard field goal by Paredes, but the Riders responded with a two-yard touchdown run by Sheets to cap off a six-play, 54-yard drive.
Early in the second quarter, Glenn engineered a six-play, 62-yard drive that he finished off by tossing a five-yard touchdown pass to Lewis.
The Riders answered right back with a quick four-play, 73-yard scoring drive culminated by a two-yard TD pass by Willy to Hughes.
Calgary then took a 15-14 lead as a result of a 37-yard field goal by Paredes followed by a safety when Saskatchewan punter Chris Milo was tackled in the end zone after Cory Huclack snapped the ball over his head.
The Stamps appeared to stall Saskatchewan’s next drive after just four plays, but a costly 15-yard penalty to Calgary defensive lineman Torrey Davis gave Durant and his offence another opportunity.
Durant made the Stamps pay by driving the Riders downfield and ultimately tossing a 30-yard touchdown strike to Getzlaf to give Saskatchewan a 21-15 lead heading into halftime.
Tristan Jackson gave the Riders great field position in the third quarter by running the opening kickoff 63 yards back into Calgary territory. Six plays later, Durant completed a 20-yard TD pass to Dressler to extend Saskatchewan’s lead.
Calgary’s undisciplined play continued in the second half as Dmitri Tsoumpas was ejected from the game for rough play before fellow offensive lineman Jon Gott took an objectionable conduct penalty. Defensive lineman was then penalized for piling on after a late hit on Durant.
Paredes kicked a 44-yard field goal for Calgary with 13 seconds left in the third quarter. Sheets started the fourth with a one yard touchdown run to put the Riders up by 17 but then que the comeback.
The Stampeders got a 21 yard touchdown from Glenn to Lewis with five minutes to play then intercepted the bakll on the Riders next posession. One play later Glenn hooked up with Larry Taylor for a 20 yards strike. Parades added an 18-yard field goal with 30 seconds left to tie the game.
In overtime the Riders had to settle for a field goal. On the Stamps posession Glenn found Lewis again for a 16 yard touchdown and the win.