Game Summary
Hamilton Tiger-Cats - (39) TDs, Steve Stapler, Jim Rockford, Ron Ingram; FGs, Paul Osbaldiston (6); cons., Osbaldiston (3).
Edmonton Eskimos - (15) TDs, - Damon Allen, Brian Kelly; 2 pt-con., Damon Allen; cons., Tom Dixon.
Losers of the previous two Grey Cups, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats gave their long suffering fans something to celebrate with an unexpected dominant performance over the Edmonton Eskimos.
Hamilton's defence, which was led by Grover Covington and Ben Zambiasi, sacked Edmonton quarterbacks' Matt Dunigan and Damon Allen a total of 10 times. They also forced eight turnovers to tie a Grey Cup record.
Hamilton jumped out to a 29-0 lead at halftime. They got it going early when Covington forced a Dunigan fumble, the ball recovered by Leo Ezerins. This set up quarterback Mike Kerrigan’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Steve Stapler. The game was just 1:35 old. The Tiger-Cats then got a big play from their special teams when Mark Streeter blocked Tom Dixon’s punt attempt, which Jim Rockford recovered for another touchdown.
Hamilton then rode the boot of kicker Paul Osbaldiston, who kicked five of his record-tying six field goals in the first 30 minutes, two of which came off turnovers; one on Howard Fields’ interception off Allen, and another on a Dunigan fumble forced by Covington. Edmonton’s offence produced minus-one yard in offence in the first 30 minutes.
The Tiger-Cats continued their assault in the second half, when Kerrigan hit Ron Ingram with a 44-yard touchdown pass.
The Eskimos finally got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter courtesy of a blocked punt by Larry Wruck which Craig Shaffer recovered at the Hamilton 37. Quarterback Matt Dunigan got the Eskimos to six yards from the goal line, and backup Damon Allen ran it in from there. The Eskimos would add another major in the fourth quarter, but by then it was too late. Allen hit Brian Kelly with a 13-yard touchdown pass then ran it in for a two-point convert.
Osbaldiston added his sixth field goal, a 47-yarder in the game’s final minute on what was an already decisive Grey Cup win.
Read more about this topic: 74th Grey Cup
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