Ottawa Redblacks beat Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35-28 to advance to Grey Cup

Henry Burris and Greg Ellingson ended their former team’s Grey Cup aspirations and sent Ottawa to its first CFL championship appearance since 1981.

Henry Burris’s 93-yard TD strike to Greg Ellingson with just over a minute remaining rallied the Ottawa Redblacks to a stirring 35-28 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Division final.

“When Jason [Maas, offensive coordinator] called the play, we had the utmost confidence that he’d make the play”, Burris said about Ellingson. “There’s nothing that people can say or do to overcome that”. “Give credit to B.C. because they played well, and we didn’t”.

Jeff Mathews took over at quarterback but after his ups and downs he suffered an injury in the second-last game against Ottawa, leaving Hamilton’s offence in the hands of Jeremiah Masoli.

“We got one more to go and that’s the ultimate goal”, said Reilly.

The Campbell clan: It’s remarkable enough that Ottawa’s Rick Campbell has made it to the Grey Cup in just his second season as a head coach, but it’s even more interesting that he’s up against Edmonton, a team that has deep meaning to both himself and his family.

Lawrence engaged in a war of words with Burris following the incident but wasn’t biting Saturday. “It’s just a play we’ve done before, I think we’ve completed that ball three or four times this year. I’m not anxious about what that man says”.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had a chance to reset the hands of the clock but, really, it was Ottawa’s time.

Will Powell had Ottawa’s other touchdown. Edmonton secured the West with a 14-4 record.

Ottawa doubled Hamilton 12-6 and pummelled the Cats 44-28 in the final two weeks of the season to clinch first place in the East and a first round playoff bye. They have earned the first Grey Cup berth for an Ottawa squad since 1981, when the Rough Riders lost an epic heartbreaker to the Edmonton Eskimos.

“It’s nice to play against my old team but it’s more about going to the Grey Cup and winning it”, Ellingson said. “It’s special. We’re building something here and it’s been unreal”.

Ottawa flipped the script this season in going from two wins in 2014 to 12 wins this year, and the Ticats are capable of doing exactly the same thing.

Burris suffered a knee injury in late October and was questionable to play against Hamilton in the first of a home-and-home series.

“It just seems like it was our destiny today”, Burris said.

“That driving force to play against Hamilton, it’s still there…”

“What happened to me in Saskatchewan, Calgary and Hamilton, it added a chip on my shoulder”, he continued.

“He has it in his mentality right now he’s going to move the sticks any way he can”.

“That’s where my focus is because at the end of the day if we go out and have success that would be the best way to drive home the point as far as in their decision-making”. The Ticats dispatched the Argos 25-22 in the East Division semifinal last weekend at Tim Hortons Field. “It was like all the things in the past we let bygones be bygones and the fans did the same and we have a great memory that will be remembered for a long time, especially with that play that was made”. “We realize it’s a bigger stage and a bigger game but the recipe for winning doesn’t change… that recipe for us is playing fast, playing smart and keeping our money in our pocket”.