Eskimos rally late to beat Stampeders

Sep 9, 2006, 4:45 GMT

Edmonton, AB - Ricky Ray hooked up with Jason Tucker for a touchdown with six seconds left in the game and the Edmonton Eskimos added an extra scored to beat the Calgary Stampeders, 35-26.

After getting the ball back at their own 13 with 2:01 to play, the Eskimos marched down the field and with six ticks left on the clock, Ray found Tucker in the end zone from three yards out.

Edmonton added another touchdown when, after the kickoff, Henry Burris fumbled the ball and Adam Braidwood ran it five yards into the end zone to make it a 35-26 game.

Sean Fleming hit five field goals and Ray went 23-for-33 with 281 yards and a touchdown while also rushing eight times for 81 yards for the Eskimos, who snapped a two-game losing streak.

Burris went 14-for-23 with 124 yards and two touchdowns and Elijah Thurmon and Nikolas Lewis each had touchdown receptions for the Stampeders, who had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Edmonton had a 6-0 lead after the first quarter on a pair of field goals by Fleming, one for 37 yards and another for 16 yards.

An 11-yard field goal by Fleming 3:36 into the second quarter increased the Eskimos lead to 9-0 and on the Stampeders ensuing possession Burris fumbled the ball and Charles Alston recovered it and took the ball into the end zone from 20 yards out for a 16-0 lead.

Calgary got its first points of the game when Fleming conceded a safety and on the ensuing kickoff, J.R. Ruffin returned the ball 90 yards into the end zone to make it a 16-9 game with 6:46 left in the first half.

Fleming conceded another safety with a little over three minutes left in the second to cut the Eskimos lead to 16-11 at halftime.

Again the Eskimos turned to Fleming and he booted a 36-yard field goal a little over six minutes into the third quarter to give his squad a 19-11 lead.

Calgary cut the score to 19-18 when Burris hit Lewis in the end zone from four yards out with a little under two minutes left in the third quarter.

The Stampeders took their first lead of the game when Burris hooked up with Thurmon for a nine-yard touchdown reception for a 25-19 lead a bit under four minutes in.

A single increased Calgary's lead to 29-19, but Fleming hit a 27-yard field goal with 7:03 to play to cut Edmonton's deficit to 26-22.

Game Notes

Edmonton running back Troy Davis carried the ball 20 times for 90 yards.

Calgary running back Joffrey Reynolds had nine rushes for 44 yards.

The clubs meet one more time this season. The season-series is tied at 2-2.

© 2006 The Sports Network