Burris brilliant as Stampeders down Alouettes

Friday's frigid and damp conditions at McMahon Stadium couldn't cool off a red-hot Henry Burris.

The Calgary quarterback threw touchdown passes to five different receivers as the Stampeders romped over the Montreal Alouettes 41-30.

Burris completed 24 of 38 passes for 408 yards in the win for Calgary (7-4), with touchdown strikes to Ken-Yon Rambo, Brett Ralph, Jeremaine Copeland and Joffrey Reynolds.

But it was Burris's touchdown pass to Teyo Johnson as time expired in the first half that proved to be the back-breaker.

Burris dropped back at midfield and eluded Montreal defensive lineman Jermaine McElveen before launching a 52-yard Hail Mary pass to the end zone that was hauled in by Johnson to put Calgary ahead 24-10.

"Hank threw a great ball," Johnson said of his first touchdown catch of the season. "He put some height on it so we could adjust to it.

"I just got in position myself and went up and got a rebound."

Burris claimed he knew what he was doing the whole time.

"My job was to just make time, give them the chance to get down there and set up," said Burris. "Once they got set up I just let it go and actually threw it right at Teyo. I saw him setting up and threw it high so he could go get it. A heck of a play."

Burris passes Liske

Burris, who could have had an even bigger day if not for some dropped passes, also added a new chapter to the Stampeders record book with his performance. The veteran surpassed Peter Liske to become the second-leading passer in Stampeder history with 16,887 yards. Doug Flutie holds the Calgary record with 20,551 yards.

"It's just a compliment to the guys I've been working with here," Burris said. "We just want to continue on. It's great to be involved and have your name mentioned with the best, but there's one thing that they have that I don't have and that's a championship.

"That's what we're after now and I won't be satisfied until we get that."

Reynolds balanced the aerial attack with 85 yards on the ground, while kicker Sandro DeAngelis booted two field goals to help Calgary snap a two-game slide at home.

"We did a lot of good things out there," said Stampeder coach and general manager John Hufnagel, who wasn't impressed with the 18 penalties for 191 yards that his team amassed. "We took too many penalties and that created some problems for us."

Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo threw for 309 yards with two fourth-quarter touchdowns in the loss, but he added three interceptions after going over four games without throwing one.

"Calgary came up with big plays tonight and we did not," said Calvillo. "The interceptions hurt us tonight. You have to give them credit for making the plays."

Running back Mike Imoh, starting in place of the injured Avon Cobourne for a second game, rushed for 84 yards with a touchdown for Montreal (7-4), which saw its five-game win streak snapped.

Stampeders score early and often

After DeAngelis saw his streak of 14 straight field goals snapped with a miss from 46 yards out in the first quarter, Burris got things rolling on the Stampeders' ensuing possession.

The Calgary signal-caller capped a five-play, 107-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown strike to Ralph to open the game's scoring.

Montreal appeared poised to respond on its next drive, marching 60 yards down field on seven plays to set up a 21-yard field goal attempt, but kicker Damon Duval hit the goal post from 31 yards out to keep the Alouettes scoreless.

Duval, who missed his first two kicks against the Toronto Argonauts in Week 12, hit the upright again on his second try from 27 yards, but it ricocheted off the inside of the post and banked in to cut the Calgary lead to 7-3 at the start of the second quarter.

After DeAngelis hit an 18-yard field goal, Montreal tied the game with an eight-play, 75-yard scoring drive that Imoh finished with a 13-yard run for a touchdown.

But Calgary seized control of the game in the final two minutes of the second quarter.

Stampeders defensive back Dwight Anderson kept a Montreal drive alive after receiving an objectionable conduct penalty, but he was bailed out on the next play by Brandon Browner, who intercepted Calvillo for the first time on the night with 1:28 to play in the half.

That gave Calgary excellent field position at the Montreal 24 and Burris didn't waste it, throwing a short screen pass to Reynolds for a nine-yard touchdown to cap a quick drive of four plays.

Montreal failed to move the chains on its next drive, setting up Johnson's touchdown to increase the Calgary lead at halftime.

The Stampeders added another DeAngelis field goal on their first possession of the second half, before Anderson picked off a Calvillo pass and returned it to midfield.

Three plays later, Burris tossed a hit Rambo with a 43-yard touchdown strike to give Calgary a commanding 34-10 lead.

Calvillo attempted to rally the Alouettes in the fourth quarter with touchdown passes to Ben Cahoon and Kerry Watkins but the Alouettes turned the ball over on downs with less than two minutes to play —ending any hopes of a comeback.