The Canadian Football League’s second playoff game Sunday wound up being even wilder than its first. The first CFL game, the Eastern Semi-Final, saw the home Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-6) beat the Montreal Alouettes (7-7) 23-12 behind four turnovers (one interception and three fumbles from Montreal quarterback Trevor Harris). But the second game, the Western Semi-Final between the home Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-5) and the Calgary Stampeders (8-6), saw five interceptions in the first half alone and a whole lot of further shenanigans before Saskatchewan’s 33-30 overtime win.
On Sunday, Roughriders’ quarterback Cody Fajardo threw four interceptions (while completing 22 of 33 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown), while Stampeders’ pivot Bo Levi Mitchell completed 26 of 36 passes for 285 yards with two interceptions. But Saskatchewan pulled off the win in the second overtime minigame, with kicker Brett Lauther making his field goal attempt (one of four out of five he hit on the night) after a miss from Calgary kicker Rene Paredes (who hit five out of eight attempts on the day, 62.5 percent, significantly below his career average of 87.3 percent and his season average of 91.7 percent). Here’s that game-winning kick:
THE DRAMA. THE FINISH. 💥@brettlauther is the OT hero in Riderville!#GCPlayoffs | @sskroughriders pic.twitter.com/5KRKBr24Wn
— CFL (@CFL) November 29, 2021
And here are some of the notable fourth-quarter highlights alone:
💣➡️🥯
@LUcrew_Frenchy with the HUGE play downfield!#GCPlayoffs | @calstampeders pic.twitter.com/O0Xhm5cv54
— CFL (@CFL) November 28, 2021
🐴 TOUCHDOWN 🐴
Up and over! @Kcarey25 with his second touchdown on the night!
Calgary jumps back out in front!#GCPlayoffs | @calstampeders pic.twitter.com/bxepwLw6f6
— CFL (@CFL) November 28, 2021
His first INT couldn't have come at a better time! @jthurm_20 coming up clutch!#GCPlayoffs | @calstampeders pic.twitter.com/LxOwFsIi9q
— CFL (@CFL) November 29, 2021
A sprinkle of something….
A massive nine play drive capped off by @CodyFajardo17! #GCPlayoffs | @sskroughriders pic.twitter.com/UMiCaSlvQE
— CFL (@CFL) November 29, 2021
That final touchdown put Calgary down by three, but they rallied for a game-tying 47-yard field goal from Paredes. That sent the game to overtime, and the teams exchanged field goals in the first overtime before Paredes’ miss and Lauther’s make in the second overtime. That meant that Saskatchewan will advance to next Sunday’s Western Final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
[CFL.ca; screengrab from @CFL on Twitter]
