Ray of hope with Argos on the ropes

Finally a little good fortune for Scott Milanovich and the struggling Toronto Argonauts.

Veteran quarterback Ricky Ray practised with the starting offence Monday, as Toronto began preparing to face the Calgary Stampeders on Friday night. Ray comes off the sixgame injured list this week and just in time, as Drew Willy is ailing with an injury to his throwing shoulder that flared up in Toronto’s 29-11 loss to Saskatchewan on Saturday.

Milanovich said Willy had an injury to his throwing shoulder prior to Toronto’s 48-20 home loss to Calgary on Oct. 10, but “it didn’t affect his ability to play.”

“Unknown to me, he reinjured it a little bit . . . so he’s going to be down this week,” he said.

“I think he’ll be on the one-game (injured list).”

That would mean a return for Ray. The 36-year-old hasn’t played since suffering a deflated lung and fractured rib in Toronto’s 49-36 Labour Day loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“I feel like, physically, I don’t have anything hindering me,” Ray said. “Within a couple of weeks, (the lung) was pretty much back to full capacity, whereas the rib just takes a little bit longer, but it feels pretty good.

“I was able to get back to practice last week . . . and get the feel back. Being out there again this week and being able to throw with the guys, I feel like, yeah, I can play.”

Toronto (5-11) has lost five straight and nine of its last 10 games and barely remains in playoff contention. The Argos trail second-place Hamilton (6-9) in the East Division and after facing high-flying Calgary (141-1), will finish their regular season visiting Edmonton (8-7) on Nov. 5.

Ray opened the 2016 season as Toronto’s starter after missing much of last year recovering from off-season shoulder surgery. He led Toronto to a 3-2 record before suffering a knee injury in a 30-17 win over Montreal on July 25.