OTTAWA — The Ottawa REDBLACKS were due for a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and they got just that on Sunday night at TD Place Stadium. The REDBLACKS came out on top 24-22 in a hard-fought battle to keep the Ticats winless in 2024 and snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Tabbies.
Lewis Ward‘s walk-off field goal was the difference as Ottawa ended the drought against their East Division counterpart, not having defeated Hamilton since the 2018 postseason.
Ottawa’s Dru Brown compiled 265 yards through the air and a touchdown pass to Justin Hardy. Jaelon Acklin led the way for the receiving group with seven catches for 90 yards.
On the other end, Bo Levi Mitchell had 322 passing yards and two touchdown passes. Tim White finished the game with a touchdown catch, eight receptions and 118 receiving yards.
DeVonte Dedmon fumbled on the game’s opening kickoff, giving the Tiger-Cats strong field positioning to begin the game. On second down, Mitchell found White in the end zone to give the Ticats a very early 7-0 lead just over a minute into the contest.
A 43-yard return for Dedmon on his second return of the evening helped the REDBLACKS on their next drive. Ryquell Armstead’s 25-yard catch-and-run got Ottawa just outside Hamilton’s end zone and then Dustin Crum ran the football in from the one-yard line. Ward missed his attempted kick, leaving the score at 7-6.
Later in the first quarter, a 34-yard pickup by Hardy propelled the REDBLACKS downfield. Ward’s field goal from 34 yards out was good to give the home team their first lead at 9-7.
With time winding down in the first frame, the Ticats looked to answer back. A 16-yard reception from Mitchell to White started the drive, with a nine-yard run from Hamilton’s quarterback giving the visitors a fresh set of downs at Ottawa’s 42-yard line. Switching sides of the field at the onset of the second quarter, the Ticats were forced to settle for a field goal after a couple of incompletions. Marc Liegghio‘s kick put his team back into the lead at 10-9.
A couple of strikes from Brown to Acklin brough the REDBLACKS into scoring range on their final drive of the first half. Brown looked his way once more on second-and-long, Acklin drew a pass interference call against Richard Leonard in the end zone. After a challenge from Tiger-Cats head coach Scott Milanovich, the call was overturned. Instead of setting up from the one-yard line, the REDBLACKS instead had to go for a field goal. Ward’s attempt from 36 was good to put the hosts up 12-10 at the half.
Mitchell came out of the dressing room searching for his favourite target in White. On the first play of the second half, the receiver caught the ball but coughed it up. Fullback James Tuck was able to recover the football to give the Ticats 20 yards. On the next play, Mitchell connected with Steven Dunbar Jr. for the first time in the game, gaining 39 yards to bring the Tabbies just outside of the red zone. The Ticats’ offence was stopped there though, as Lorenzo Mauldin IV sacked Mitchell for a seven-yard loss. Liegghio’s field goal from 36 yards out was a hit to give the Ticats a 13-12 advantage.
After the Ticats’ defence forced Ottawa into punts on three consecutive drives to start the half, Mitchell led his offence to another scoring drive after feeding Kiondre Smith and Dunbar with first-down catches. Mitchell missed the mark when looking White’s way in the end zone, meaning the Ticats had to go for a field goal on third down. Liegghio’s attempt from 28 yards was a success to give the away team a 16-12 lead.
A big 28-yard play to Acklin got Ottawa motoring on the game’s next drive but that possession would be limited to just four plays after Armstead came up short of a first down in Hamilton territory. Ward’s 42-yard field goal made it a one-point game with 10:56 to go in the ballgame.
After three scoreless drives, Dedmon delivered another deadly punt return to bring Brown and the REDBLACKS’ offence to Hamilton’s 54 just prior to the three-minute warning. Armstead broke free for consecutive 14 and 17-yard rushes up the middle to push the REDBLACKS into the red zone. Brown locked in on Hardy who was free in the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. Rhymes couldn’t bring down Brown’s throw when Ottawa went for the two-point conversion, leaving the score at 21-16 with two minutes on the clock.
As time winded down, Mitchell had to try and manufacture a game-winning drive. With 57 seconds remaining, Mitchell got the ball to Dunbar for a 22-yard catch to bring the Ticats to Ottawa’s 10. Shemar Bridges got loose on the right side of the end zone to restore his team’s one-point advantage, with the two-point conversion unsuccessful.
Needing to put points on the board with just 18 seconds to go, the REDBLACKS marched down the field courtesy of clutch catches from Acklin and then Addison. On the final play of the game, Ward called game with a successful 46-yard field goal to give Ottawa their first win over Hamilton since 2018.
Next up, the Ottawa REDBLACKS travel to Winnipeg to face the Blue Bombers on Friday, July 5 in Week 5. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will return home to battle against the BC Lions on Sunday, July 7.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kevin Lankinen made 26 saves for his fourth career shutout and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on Saturday night.
Nils Hoglander, Brock Boeser and Kyle Sherwood scored for the Canucks, who spoiled Philadelphia’s home opener and the first NHL home game for top Flyers’ prospects Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko.
The Canucks controlled play for most of the game and took advantage of Philadelphia’s defensive breakdowns for a pair of goals.
Samuel Ersson made 29 saves for Philadelphia, which lost its fourth consecutive game (0-3-1) after winning its season opener against the Canucks in Vancouver.
TAKEAWAYS
Canucks: Tyler Myers picked up an assist on a nifty, no-look pass to Boeser. It was Myers’ 1,000th NHL game. Myers also had three shots on goal, blocked a pair of shots, finished the game plus-1 and led the Canucks in total time on ice at 21:54.
Flyers: In another milestone game, Philadelphia captain Sean Couturier played in his 800th career game. However, the veteran centre was demoted to the fourth line and on the left wing by coach John Tortorella before the game. Once the Flyers fell behind 3-0, Couturier was shifted back to centre, but he couldn’t spark the team’s offence.
KEY MOMENT
Vancouver scored twice in 50 seconds in the second period to pull away. Sherwood’s goal was a one-timer off a faceoff win by Teddy Blueger to make it 3-0.
KEY STAT
Minus 11, the Flyers’ goal differential in five games this season at even strength. Through five games they have now been outscored 17-6 at five-on-five. All three of Vancouver’s goals on Saturday were at even strength.
UP NEXT
Canucks: Visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night.
NEW YORK (AP) — Noah Dobson scored in the ninth round of the shootout to lead the New York Islanders to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee scored in regulation for the Islanders, and Dobson had two assists. Semyon Varlamov finished with 21 saves.
Cole Caulfield had two goals and Logan Mailloux also scored for Montreal. Cayden Primeau made 33 saves.
Palmieri and Simon Holmstron also scored for the Islanders in the shootout, and Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman tallied for Montreal.
Caufield forced overtime with 2:10 left in regulation to tie the score 3-3. It came 2:26 after Lee gave the Islanders the lead.
TAKEAWAYS
Canadiens: Mailloux scored his first NHL goal 59 seconds into the second period to tie the game 2-2.
Islanders: Entering the game, the Islanders’ 33 shots per game ranked third in the NHL but their average of 2.5 goals per game was 27th in the league. Horvat and Palmieri scored 2:26 apart late in the first period to give New York a 2-0 lead.
KEY MOMENT
Varlamov’s glove save on Caufield’s breakaway 5:44 into the second period kept the score tied 2-2.
KEY STAT
New York limited Montreal to 24 shots in the win. Through their first four games before Saturday night, the Islanders had held opponents to 29.3 shots per game, which was 13th in the NHL.
UP NEXT
Canadiens: Host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night.
Islanders: Host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland finished 54 holes of the wind-delayed Shriners Children’s Open knowing he’ll have his best chance at winning since brain surgery more than a year ago. Best of all Saturday was being finished.
Woodland had three birdies over his final six holes and extended his bogey-free streak to 28 holes in polishing off a 6-under 65 that gave him a share of the clubhouse lead with Las Vegas resident Kurt Kitayama, who also had a 65.
They trailed J.T. Poston and Doug Ghim by one shot when play was suspended by darkness. Thirty of the 66 players who made the cut earlier Saturday did not finish.
Poston had an eagle during his closing stretch of the second round for a 65, and his only sub-par hole in the third round was an eagle on the par-5 ninth. It put him at 15-under par through 13 holes. Also at 15 under was Ghim, who had four straight birdies and was facing a five-foot par putt on the 17th hole when it was too dark to continue.
Woodland had surgery in September 2023 to remove a lesion on his brain, situated on a tract that caused fear and anxiety. It’s been a long road back of making progress with his health, getting dialed in on the right medication and trying to get his game in order.
He also went back to Randy Smith, the PGA Hall of Fame swing coach in Dallas. Now Woodland is sensing the pieces coming back together.
“I feel a lot better for one,” Woodland said. “That’s a huge help. But I’ve seen some signs. I’ve been back with Randy Smith for a couple months now. I am starting to drive it better, iron play, controlling the golf ball like I haven’t in a long time, which is nice. Then putts start going in, start putting some good scores up.
“I’m excited and happy to be here — and really happy to finish tonight so I can get some sleep tomorrow.”
The third round was to resume at 8 a.m., and Woodland likely will start around 11 a.m. That beats getting up before dawn, which he already has had to do twice this week.
Next to be determined is where he stands.
Harris English and Alejandro Tosti of Argentina also were at 14 under with four holes to play, including the reachable par 4 and the easiest of the three par 5s. Six other players were at 13 under and still had holes to play.
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., only completed 13 holes on Saturday and sits two shots back of the leaders. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., is tied for 44th at 5 under. Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., is tied for 61st at 3 under.
The wind has calmed substantially from Friday, when gusts approached 50 miles per hour and led to a four-hour delay that caused the stop-and-start and the last two days being suspended because of darkness. A TPC Summerlin course that was all about hanging on is now back to being a test of who can make the most birdies.
“Conditions will be pretty easy. I think you saw that with some of the scores,” Poston said. “Guys are making birdies. So I think it’s just trying to stay aggressive but also stay patient if the putts don’t fall early because there is a lot of holes left.”
The second round didn’t end until about noon Saturday and the cut was at 3-under 139. Among those who missed was Tom Kim, the two-time defending champion who was trying to become the first player since Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic (2009-11) to win the same PGA Tour event three straight years.
Also missing the cut were the three winners in the FedEx Cup Fall — Patton Kizzire, Kevin Yu and Matt McCarty.
