Playoff football is coming back to Edmonton for the first time since 2015.
With the Edmonton Elks’ 27-12 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats under Friday night lights, the team can now no longer finish lower than second place in the West Division, meaning the Elks will get a game in the Concrete Castle of the North.
It wasn’t exactly an easy win either, as the two teams had their antlers locked for most of the game. Elks kicker Vincent Blanchard would give the Elks a 3-0 lead, and added another with 2:21 left in the second quarter to extend Edmonton’s lead to 6-0. With time expiring at the end of the first half, Blanchard attempted a third field goal, but this one was blocked, trickling through the end zone to give Edmonton a 7-0 lead heading into the second half.
The Tiger-Cats would get their first score of the game with 3:04 left in the third quarter, as Marc Liegghio kicked an 18-yard field goal, as the score sat at 7-3 heading into the fourth quarter.
That, however, is when the game would open up. Cody Fajardo would cap off a nine-play drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown, his sixth of the season, making it 14-3. Minutes later, the Tiger-Cats responded with another Liegghio field goal.
But with 8:06 left in the fourth quarter, the Tiger-Cats looked to punt, but ran a fake. Elks receiver Zach Mathis, on the punt return unit, would jump the pass thrown by Nik Constantinou, intercepting it and running it 48 yards to the house, extending Edmonton’s lead to 21-6.
While the Tiger-Cats made the game interesting with just under four minutes in the game as Isaiah Wilson returned an 88 yard kickoff for a touchdown, Elks running back ShunDerrick Powell would seal the game with 29 seconds left, punching in a five-yard touchdown run.
The Elks will now turn their eye to next weeks matchup, hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. MT. Edmonton closes out their season on Saturday, Oct. 24 when they visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
