Nine Field Goals, a Record and a Two-Point Shootout: Edmonton Survives Hamilton

Vincent Blanchard kicked nine field goals on Saturday night and didn't miss one. It's a CFL record. It still wasn't enough to settle the game in regulation, or even in overtime.

The Edmonton Elks beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37-35 at Commonwealth Stadium, and it took a two-point shootout, only the second in league history, to decide it. After Harrison Frost's pass for Hamilton fell incomplete, Cody Fajardo found Joshua Cephus in the end zone from three yards out and the stadium erupted.

I got a few more grey hairs after that one.

That was Edmonton coach Mark Kilam, speaking on CISN Country 103.9 afterward.

How it got there

Blanchard, a third-year kicker from Quebec City, kicked field goals from 22, 25, 37 and 54 yards in the second quarter alone as Edmonton led 15-10 at the half. Hamilton's defense kept the Elks out of the end zone until the third quarter, when a 34-yard run by Justin Rankin set up a Fajardo sneak.

Hamilton kept answering. Frost threw touchdowns to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and Tyler Ternowski, and Marc Legghio's 22-yard field goal with 52 seconds left gave the Ticats the lead. The Elks drove back, and Blanchard tied it from 27 yards with one second on the clock. Both teams kicked field goals in overtime, which forced the shootout.

Blanchard's nine broke a record shared by Lirim Hajrullahu, Mark McLoughlin, Paul Osbaldiston and Dave Ridgway. He kept it simple afterward: he was just happy to do his job and help the team win. Defensive back Tyrell Ford had two interceptions, one on a two-point try, and leads the league with seven. Fajardo threw for 298 yards and said that's what playoff football looks like: not always pretty, but you find a way.

Where it leaves them

The West-leading Elks are 11-4, 7-1 at home, and closing in on a home playoff game. Hamilton is 4-11 and out of the playoff race. Edmonton has a bye in Week 18, then plays at Hamilton on Oct. 9 and hosts Winnipeg on Oct. 16.