Hamilton Tiger-Cats wide receiver Brandon Banks celebrates on the sidelines during second half action against the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL Eastern Division final in Hamilton, Ont., on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had a shaky start to the 2014 season: just a single victory in their first seven games, their new quarterback sidelined with a concussion and their move into a new stadium muddled up by construction delays. After a dramatic season turnaround, the Ticats are now headed to play for the Grey Cup.
Sunday in Hamilton, before a sold-out crowd inside a new stadium where they've gone undefeated since the grand opening on Labour Day, the Cats beat the Montreal Alouettes 40-24 in the East Division final. It's the second consecutive trip to the CFL's championship game for the Tabbies, a contest that takes place next Sunday in Vancouver.
Behind a record-breaking day by speedy punt returner Brandon Banks, a pair of short touchdown runs by Nic Grigsby, and a turnover-happy defence, the Ticats beat the Als for a second time in 14 days. Efficient first-year starting pivot Zach Collaros completed 18 of 27 passes for 199 yards and no picks.
Montreal quarterback Jonathan Crompton made 28 of his 35 passes for 315 yards – including three touchdown passes to S.J Green, who finished the day with six catches for 123 yards.
But the Ticats also intercepted Crompton three times, courtesy of defenders Eric Harris, Courtney Stephen and Delvin Breaux.
Banks took a punt 78 yards to the end zone in the first quarter. But it was called back because of a holding penalty by Neil King, who quickly came to visit Banks on the sideline.
"He didn't apologize; he said we'll get another one," said the five-foot-seven 153-pound return man, whose nickname is Speedy. "He doesn't need to apologize to me – I know he was working hard. He just told me to keep my head on, because we're going to get another one."
Indeed, they did. Banks went on to return punts of 99 and 88 yards for touchdowns. His second one sealed the game for Hamilton as the sun was peeking out for the first time on what had been an overcast and drizzly day in Steeltown. His five punt returns for 226 yards on the day was a CFL playoff record, besting the 202 yards on two scoring punt returns set by Larry Taylor for Montreal back in 2008.
"On that second return, it was like Casper the Ghost because it was like we were grasping and just getting air," Als coach Tom Higgins said.
Grigsby led all ball-carriers with 18 carries for 93 yards, while Steve Tasker led the Cats' receiving corps with five catches for 80 yards. The Tabbies held star Montreal receiver Duron Carter to three catches for 25 yards, a player who had been uber-confident in the media all week.
It's been just a year since the Ticats lost the 2013 Grey Cup to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and then cut loose veteran quarterback Henry Burris to sign young Collaros. Sunday's game marked the seventh straight win for the Ticats inside their $145.7-million new Tim Hortons Field, this one before a booming capacity crowd of 24,334 fans.
Hamilton will attempt to win its first Grey Cup since 1999. This time they won't face a hometown opponent or frostbite-inducing temperatures like last year in Regina.
It's been a winding road for a team that played its early home games at McMaster University this season when their stadium wasn't ready, and lived without a concussed Collaros for five weeks. The black and gold then went on a late-season tear – going 8-2 in their final 10 contests – to earn the Grey Cup berth.
"We're not big on excuses around here," Ticats coach Kent Austin said after the game, still looking around at the details of Tim Hortons Field, pieces of which are still being constructed and fine-tuned. "I look at it from a positive slant. Those things we faced may have actually helped us grow and helped us learn to win."