Alouettes defeat Tiger-Cats in season finale

The Montreal Alouettes finished their season on a three-game win streak - and put the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on a losing streak going into the playoffs - with a 32-25 road win on Saturday.

In a regular-season finale that was meaningless in the standings but entertaining nonetheless, rookie quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. threw two of his three touchdowns during a wild fourth quarter at Tim Hortons Field where the lead changed hands three times. The win gave Montreal (7-11) some added solace at the end of the team's worst season since the franchise was re-established in 1996, as they finished 4-2 in six games under interim head coach Jacques Chapdelaine.

Hamilton (7-11) already had second place in the East Division clinched thanks to gaining the tiebreaker against the Alouettes with wins on July 15 and Sept. 16. The Tiger-Cats, who have lost three home games in a row, will host the Edmonton Eskimos in the East semifinal on Nov. 13.

Zach Collaros, who has missed a total of eight games due to rehabbing from knee surgery and also suffering a brain injury against Calgary on Oct. 1, played for only two possessions. Each ended with a field goal. Third-stringer Jeff Mathews played the final three-and-a-half quarters.

With veteran slotbacks Andy Fantuz and Chad Owens are out for the season, the Tiger-Cats used the game mostly to get reps for reinforcements in the receiving corps such as John Chiles, Jasper Collins, and rookie Bryan Tyms. Tyms scored his first CFL touchdown on a 24-yard reception late in the third quarter.

Hamilton went ahead 25-21 midway through the fourth quarter with a touchdown set up by a 29-yard fumble return by Chris Davis. Adams responded with a three-play, 76-yard scoring drive to regain the lead with 6:56 left. Nik Lewis broke a high tackle on a second-down catch and rumbled for a 35-yard reception. On the next play, Adams threaded a pass to B.J. Cunningham in-between levels of Hamilton's zone. Davis and Tiger-Cats safety Mike Daly collided, allowing Cunningham to go in for a 41-yard touchdown.

Mathews was unable to produce a first down on his next three possessions. The Alouettes added a late field goal and kickoff single before Marc-Olivier Brouillette sealed the win with 36 seconds left with an interception.

Adams was 16-of-28 for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver Samuel Giguere made five receptions for 93 yards and two TDs. Veteran speedster Stefan Logan had 244 combined yards. Boris Bede was 1-of-1 on field goals and added a kickoff single.

Logan opened the scoring with an 86-yard punt-return touchdown 6:23 into the game, cutting through an alley in the middle of coverage. Midway through the second, Logan broke free again for a 45-yard return to Hamilton's 39, then made a 21-yard reception on the first play of the possession. On the next play, Giguere got behind Cassius Vaughn for an 18-yard scoring catch deep in the end zone, enabling Montreal to go into halftime ahead 14-6.

Mathews was 18-of-29 for 201 yards with one TD and one interception, while Collaros was 8-of-12 for 134. Collins made six receptions for a game-high 95 yards, while Anthony Woodson scored his first CFL touchdown and Kevin Elliott added a two-point convert. Brett Maher was 3-of-3 on field goals with a punt single.

Hamilton's Brandon Banks returned two kickoffs for 40 yards, becoming the Tiger-Cats' career leader with 3,047 yards.