Als have chance to gain momentum with four straight games at home
The Alouettes are about to embark on the longest regular-season homestand in team history, with four straight games at Molson Stadium over the next six weeks.
It provides the 3-6 team with an excellent opportunity to make a run, gain momentum and improve its fortunes in the East Division.
“There’s a lot of things that look favourable,” general manager and interim head coach Danny Maciocia said on Friday. “Other teams may see (other things) favourable in their eyes. Just because it’s favourable doesn’t mean it’s going to be a given. You still have to go out there and execute.”
Fresh off becoming the first team this season to defeat Winnipeg, the Als will seek a second straight victory Saturday afternoon (4 p.m., TSN3, RDS, TSN Radio-690) at home against the Hamilton Tiger-cats, who share second place with Montreal but have already beaten the Als once.
The Als are 1-2 at the Mcgill University venue this season after going 3-4 there in 2021. And this team hasn’t produced a winning streak since capturing four straight games last October.
Part of the blame might lie in the fact the Als practise outside Olympic Stadium and only venture to the university facility for home games. To that end, they practised once this week at Molson Stadium, with Maciocia saying they will do so each week.
“It’s critical that we play well in our own backyard,” he said.
Having floundered over the first half of the schedule — yet very much alive in the division — the Als have suggested they’re now launching a nine-game season. Not only will they play six at home, seven of the nine are against divisional rivals, including three against lastplace Ottawa.
“This is as good as a nine-game season in my eyes,” Maciocia said. “Now the question is, who’s going to take advantage of it?”
Heading into games Friday night, the Als’ upcoming opponents have a combined record of 17-25. Other than two games against (4-4) Toronto, Montreal plays only one team — B.C. — with a winning record.
“We’re in a good situation, but we’ve got to take advantage of it,” receiver Eugene Lewis said. “We’ve basically been in every game. The ones we didn’t win, we didn’t find a way to finish at the end. Good teams find a way to finish.”
We’re in a good situation, but we’ve got to take advantage of it. We’ve basically been in every game.
While it’s difficult to predict how many victories will be needed to make the playoffs — and it’s likely only two teams from the division will qualify — Lewis maintains a 10-8 record remains realistic.
“My goal is to at least get 10 wins a season,” said Lewis, who leads all receivers, with 750 yards. “It puts you in a really good situation and it’s a good look to have double-digit wins. Just find a way to get in and if you get hot at the right time, anything ’s possible.”
The Ticats are the only CFL team yet to win on the road and have underachieved after reaching the last two Grey Cup games. Their roster is depleted, with cornerbacks Ciante Evans and Jumal Rolle both injured. Linebacker Simoni Lawrence was just added to the six-game injured list and, while quarterback Dane Evans (shoulder) has been activated, former Alouette Matthew Shiltz is expected to start.