“It’s such a CFL game,” the veteran Montreal quarterback said. “There’s always going to be things that you don’t expect and there’s always going to be maybe an upset that people think won’t happen. We’re just grateful to come away with a win.
“Obviously I know they’re probably kicking themselves, feeling like they should have won with that late (fourth quarter) goal, but we were there too, so we feel their pain.”
Montreal’s David Cote hit a 43-yard field goal in overtime to make it 20-17, but Winnipeg’s Mark Lieggio couldn’t do it.
Liegghio’s 37-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and bounced wide in front of 31,053 stunned fans at IG Field. He also passed out on a 32-yard attempt on the final play of the fourth quarter.
The Bombers’ first loss of the season gives them a 9-1 record and prevented them from tying a team record from 1960 to start a season with 10 straight wins.
The Alouettes improved their record to 3-6.
After the game, Liegio gave different analyzes of both misses.
“The one before overtime, I just didn’t give myself a chance and it didn’t look good coming off my leg,” he said. “Then the one at the end, in overtime, I thought I hit it well. I felt good with my leg but, obviously, the result wasn’t what I wanted and I just moved on.”
Bombers coach Mike O’Shea saw Liegghio’s play as part of the sophomore’s development.
“Better now than later, right? He’s going to bounce back and be good,” said O’Shea, whose team begins its bye week.
It was a rematch between the clubs, who played in Montreal last week. That game was tied 14-14 in the fourth quarter, but Winnipeg scored three straight touchdowns and won 35-20.
After Thursday’s shutout, Montreal general manager and interim coach Danny Masciocia said he’s seen some turnovers in his 20-plus years in the league.
“This definitely ranks up there with one of the wildest, craziest endings you’re going to come across,” he said.
“But the good thing was that we found ourselves at the right end. These are games that, I don’t know, maybe a few weeks ago we wouldn’t have won.”
Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, then tied 7-7 at halftime and 10-10 after the third quarter.
Bombers running back Brady Oliveira broke the tie with a 19-yard touchdown run at 12:50 of the fourth quarter, capping a 10-play, 100-yard scoring streak.
Winnipeg looked like it would go down for another score, but Montreal defensive back Wesley Sutton hit Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros, forcing a fumble and turnover with just under eight minutes remaining.
The Alouettes used the turnover to drive to the Winnipeg one-yard line. The Bombers defense hit stops and looked like a turnover on downs, but Winnipeg was called for an offsides penalty and the visitors returned the first down.
Montreal backup Dominique Davis then rushed for a one-yard touchdown with 2:21 left. Cote was good to convert to level the score at 17-17.
Oliveira had another run and appeared to fumble the ball, but was ruled out by contact.
As the clock wound down, Liegio lined up for a 32-yard field goal attempt, but missed wide left. Alouettes receiver Tyson Philpot ran the ball out of the end zone, sending the game into overtime.
After Cote made his field goal, Sutton broke up a pass attempt to Bombers receiver Dalton Schoen, prompting Mike O’Shea to throw the challenge flag. It was unsuccessful and Lieghio stepped up and made his ill-fated attempt.
Davis also scored a TD on a three-yard rush in the second quarter. Cote had two conversions, hit the upright on a 20-yard field goal attempt and connected on a 43-yarder.
Schoen had a 27-yard TD run for Winnipeg. Lieggio was good on a 44-yard field goal attempt and had two conversions.
Kolaros, who was sacked five times, was 21-of-27 passing for 251 yards and a TD.
Harris was 18-of-27 for 213 yards and a TD for Montreal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 11, 2022.
