The Saskatchewan Roughriders moved into second place in the CFL’s West Division with a 29-16 victory over the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.
The Roughriders (7-7-1) reached 15 points and one more than the B.C. Lions (7-8-0) who lost 32-29 in overtime to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Friday.
The Redblacks (8-6-1) rank second in the East Division three points up on the Toronto Argonauts, who were at home to the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday night.
Kicker Brett Lauther led Saskatchewan going 7-for-7 on field goals. Thomas Bertrand-Hudon scored a rushing touchdown.
Ottawa kicker Lewis Ward produced nine points from his three field goals on four attempts. Kalil Pimpleton caught a touchdown pass for the Redblacks with just under two minutes remaining in the game.
Roughrider quarterback Trevor Harris completed 27 of 36 pass attempts for 315 yards.
Ottawa starter Jeremiah Masoli went 20-for-30 in passing for 210 yards and was intercepted three times.
Ward’s two field goals in the fourth quarter narrowed Saskatchewan’s lead to 15-9, but the Roughriders regained control with the game’s first touchdown.
Bertrand-Hudon took a pitch from Harris and broke through the Ottawa defence for a 26-yard touchdown run.
Harris connected with KeeSean Johnson on a two-point convert to increase the lead to 23-9.
Lauther’s sixth field goal added to that lead with four minutes left in the game.
Ottawa responded with its only touchdown when Masoli connected with Pimpleton on an 11-yard scoring pass with 1:56 remaining.
Lauther closed out the contest with his seventh field goal, from 37 yards, with 17 seconds left in the game.
Saskatchewan lost two starters on offence to injury during the game.
Tailback Ryquell Armstead, who ran for 207 yards in his Saskatchewan debut last week against the Calgary Stampeders, left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.
Receiver Shawn Bane Jr. took a low hit in the second quarter when he tried to haul in a pass deep down the middle. He needed help off the field with an apparent right-knee injury.
Both offences struggled in the first half with Saskatchewan picking up 144 yards in total offence to Ottawa’s 116.
Lauther kicked field goals from 35, 33 and 21 yards in the first half, which gave the ‘Riders a 9-0 lead before Ward’s 37-yarder.
Ward missed a 46-yard field goal attempt late in the first quarter that Saskatchewan’s Mario Alford returned 75 yards to the Ottawa 43-yard line.
Alford’s return eventually led to Lauther’s second field goal of the game.
Masoli had a tough second quarter, tossing interceptions on consecutive possessions.
Rolan Milligan, with his league-leading seventh interception, snared the first. Marcus Sayles, with his fourth pick of the season, produced the second.
Saskatchewan linebacker Adam Auclair also intercepted Masoli in the third quarter.
UP NEXT:
The Roughriders play the Elks on Oct. 5 in Edmonton. The Redblacks have a bye week before an Oct. 14 date with the Alouettes.
