Tiger-Cats, Stampeders square off in 102nd Grey Cup

VANCOUVER - The Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Calgary Stampeders square off tonight in the 102nd Grey Cup at B.C. Place Stadium.

While the Stampeders are the 7 1/2-point favourites, Hamilton will be hoping this year's championship game plays out the same way it did in 1999 — when the Ticats last won the CFL's top prize by beating Calgary 32-21 in Vancouver. The Stampeders haven't won since 2008, when they downed the Alouettes 22-14 in Montreal.

Both teams are coming off recent Grey Cup losses, with Hamilton falling to the Saskatchewan Roughriders last year in Regina, and the Stampeders losing to the Argonauts in Toronto in 2012.

The Tiger-Cats began the year 1-6 before winning eight of their last 11 regular-season games. Calgary was 15-3.

Hamilton's defence will be looking to stop Stampeders running back Jon Cornish of New Westminster, B.C., who took home the CFL's top Canadian award Thursday night. Cornish led the league in rushing yards despite missing nine games due to injury.

One of the Stampeders' top priorities will be limiting the damage from Hamilton's speedy kick/punt returner Brandon Banks, who returned two Montreal punts for touchdowns in last weekend's East final.