BY HARPREET PANDHER

Broadcaster on Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi and BC Lions Football Punjabi

IG/X/TikTok: @harppandher

CALGARY, Alberta –  The BC Lions are finding ways to win, and that was once again the story Thursday night in Calgary.

Coming into the matchup, the Lions were riding a two-game winning streak and looking to continue their climb after a difficult start to the season. The Calgary Stampeders entered the game at 4-5, but their record didn’t necessarily tell the full story. Vernon Adams Jr. and the Stamps had been involved in a number of tight games, with four of their first nine losses and wins coming by four points or fewer.

This one was no different.

The Lions and Stampeders battled through a back-and-forth, seesaw affair at McMahon Stadium before BC pulled away late for a 30-26 victory. The win pushed the Lions to 4-5 and gave them their third straight victory. Calgary dropped to 4-6 after suffering its fourth loss of the season by four points or fewer.

Nathan Rourke once again showed why he remains such an important piece of the Lions’ offence. In just his second game back after missing time with an injury to his non-throwing arm, Rourke threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a major of his own. His two touchdown passes both went to Keon Hatcher Sr., who came up with a huge performance when the Lions needed it most.

Hatcher found the end zone twice, providing two of the biggest offensive plays of the night for BC. His ability to make plays in traffic and come through in critical situations continues to make him one of Rourke’s most trusted targets.

The Lions’ ground game, however, was not nearly as effective.

James Butler was largely quiet throughout the night, while Dedrick Mills and Zander Horvath were unable to provide the kind of consistent running attack the Lions would have liked. Horvath did make his mark, however, finding the end zone for an important touchdown.

The bigger concern for Calgary was what happened to its offence late in the game.

Adams Jr. left the contest in the fourth quarter with an injury and did not return. The same was true for league-leading running back Dedrick Mills, who was also forced out. Josh Love stepped in at quarterback and gave the Stampeders a chance to win, but the Lions defence came up with the play it needed late. With Calgary threatening inside the BC 10-yard line, T.J. Lee intercepted Love to seal the victory.

For the Lions, it wasn’t always pretty. There were mistakes, stretches where the offence stalled and moments when Calgary appeared ready to take control. But once again, BC found a way to make the critical plays.

And that may be the biggest difference between this Lions team and the one that started the season.

The Lions are building momentum.

Now comes a very different challenge.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are coming to BC Place.

The Riders are the reigning Grey Cup champions, and this matchup brings back some painful memories for the Lions. Saskatchewan ended BC’s season last November with a heartbreaking 24-21 victory in the Western Final in Regina, scoring the winning touchdown with just 11 seconds remaining. The Roughriders then went on to defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup.

So there is plenty of history behind this next matchup.

The Lions will host Saskatchewan at BC Place on Sunday, August 23, with the game set to feature the annual Watermelon Smash. The rivalry will be on full display both on and off the field, with the Lions encouraging fans to come out and support the home side.

There is also a special opportunity for fans through the Lions’ First Game on Us promotion, giving new fans a chance to experience a Lions game. Fans should visit bclions.com for details on how to claim the free tickets.

After three straight wins, the Lions are starting to look like a team that is gaining confidence at the right time.

And now they get a chance to settle the score with the defending Grey Cup champions.

Tune in to BC Lions Football on Sher-E-Punjab AM600 presented by Nibbana.ca

 Saskatchewan Roughriders at BC Lions at Sunday, August 23 at 6 p.m. from Save on Foods an BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.

Pre-game show: 3:30p.m.

Countdown to Kickoff: 4 p.m.

https://listen.streamon.fm/ckspam