Marc-Antoine Dequoy and Kabion Ento returned interceptions for touchdowns as the Montreal Alouettes stunned the Toronto Argonauts 38-17 in the CFL East Division final Saturday.
Montreal’s stellar defence forced nine turnovers — resulting in 21 points. That included four interceptions of Toronto’s Chad Kelly, who was making his first career playoff start and was also stopped twice in short-yardage situations and lost a fumble.
Toronto turned the ball over on downs four times.
Kelly, the East Division’s outstanding player nominee was intercepted three times in the third, the last Ento returned 22 yards for the TD at 9:13 to put Montreal ahead 24-3.
Later in the quarter, the BMO Field gathering of 26,620 — the largest crowd for an Argos game since they moved there in 2016 — booed the offence off the field.
Dequoy had a 101-yard TD return in the first quarter. Montreal advanced to its first Grey Cup since winning two straight titles (2009-10) and will face either the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or B.C. Lions next weekend at Tim Hortons Field.
Cameron Dukes’ one-yard TD run at 4:43 of the fourth pulled Toronto to within 24-10. But James Letcher Jr. returned the ensuing kickoff 105 yards for the touchdown — his third return score this season — at 5:19.
Kelly, the East Division’s outstanding player nominee, then found DaVaris Daniels on a 64-yard TD strike at 6:43. That cut Montreal’s lead to 31-17.
It was the second straight stellar performance by Montreal’s defence, which didn’t allow a touchdown in last weekend’s 27-12 East Division semifinal win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Alouettes were 0-3 against Toronto in the regular season tbut haven’t lost since 23-20 setback to the Argos on Sept. 15, a span now of seven games.
Kelly enjoyed a record-setting ’23 campaign, his first as Toronto’s starter. He won 15-of-16 starts in guiding the Argos to a franchise-best 16-2 record, which also tied the single-season league mark for wins.
In August, Kelly signed a three-year, $1.865-million extension that made him the league’s highest-paid player.
Edmonton was 16-2 in 1989 but lost the West Division final to Saskatchewan, which went to win the Grey Cup.
Montreal Alouettes defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson (94) tackles Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly (12) on a run during second half CFL Eastern Division final football action in Toronto, Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Kelly’s 93.8 win percentage was the best ever by a player with at least 14 starts. Kelly completed 270-of-394 passes (68.5 per cent) for 4,123 yards with 23 TDs and 12 interceptions while running for 248 yards and eight TDs — tied for second-most in the CFL.
Toronto’s offence also led the CFL in fewest turnovers (27) and was tied for fewest interceptions (15). The Argos entered Saturday’s game sporting a 9-0 home record (one win came in Halifax) and 10-0 within the East Division.
Tyler Snead and Jeshrun Antwi had Montreal’s other touchdowns. David Cote added five converts and a field goal.
Toronto’s Boris Bede booted two converts and a field goal.
Cody Fajardo’s eight-yard TD pass to Snead at 5:13 of the third — despite tight coverage from Toronto safety Royce Metchie — staked Montreal to a 17-3 advantage. It followed Shawn Oakman’s unnecessary roughness penalty on a Cote field goal that gave the Als first down at the Toronto seven-yard line.
The touchdown was set up by Reggie Stubblefield’s interception.
Montreal led 10-3 at the half, thanks to a defence that accounted for its lone TD. The unit also stopped Kelly twice on third down despite Dukes usually being Toronto’s short-yardage quarterback.
And although Toronto continually enjoyed great field position and accumulated 174 net yards, the offence gave the ball away four times (downs twice, interception and fumble).
The Argonauts defence did its part with five first-half sacks (three by Oakman, two by Reggie Barlow) and an interception.
Toronto’s offence began smartly, driving to the Montreal seven-yard line. But Dequoy returned Kelly’s pass for Tommy Nield 101 yards at 3:03 of the first.
Bede’s 45-yard field goal at 6:26 of the second cut Montreal’s lead to 7-3. But Cote’s 46-yard boot at 9:08 move the Alouettes ahead 10-3.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2023.
VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that defenceman Alex Edler will sign a one-day contract in order to officially retire as a member of the NHL team.
The signing will be part of a celebration of Edler’s career held Oct. 11 when the Canucks host the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Canucks selected Edler, from Ostersund, Sweden, in the third round (91st overall) of the 2004 NHL draft.
He played in 925 career games for the Canucks between the 2006-07 and 2020-21 seasons, ranking fourth in franchise history and first among defencemen.
The 38-year-old leads all Vancouver defencemen with 99 goals, 310 assists and 177 power-play points with the team.
Edler also appeared in 82 career post-season contests with Vancouver and was an integral part of the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, putting up 11 points (2-9-11) across 25 games.
“I am humbled and honoured to officially end my career and retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks,” Edler said in a release. “I consider myself lucky to have started my career with such an outstanding organization, in this amazing city, with the best fans in the NHL. Finishing my NHL career where it all began is something very special for myself and my family.”
Edler played two seasons for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He did not play in the NHL last season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.
Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.
The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.
In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.
Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.
Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.
Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.
It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.
Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.
FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.
And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.
“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024
TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced cookie brand Oreo as the team’s helmet sponsor for the upcoming NHL season.
The new helmet will debut Sunday when Toronto opens its 2024-25 pre-season against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.
The Oreo logo replaces Canadian restaurant chain Pizza Pizza, which was the Leafs’ helmet sponsor last season.
Previously, social media platform TikTok sponsored Toronto starting in the 2021-22 regular season when the league began allowing teams to sell advertising space on helmets.
The Oreo cookie consists of two chocolate biscuits around a white icing filling and is often dipped in milk.
Fittingly, the Leafs wear the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo on their jerseys.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
