Jose Maltos Diaz and the Montreal Alouettes are Grey Cup bound.
Diaz’s 45-yard field goal on the game’s final play gave Montreal an exciting 19-16 East Division final win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. With the victory, Alouettes starter Davis Alexander improved to 13-0 (regular season and playoffs) as a CFL starter.
Montreal will meet either the B.C. Lions or Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Grey Cup on Nov. 16 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. The Alouettes will chase a second league title after winning it all in 2023.
Diaz capped a seven-play, 36-yard final drive for Montreal, much to the dismay of a Hamilton Stadium gathering of 25,399 that was predominately clad in Ticats’ black.
Maltos Diaz’s 17-yard field goal at 5:43 of the fourth put Montreal ahead 16-10. But after connecting from 49 yards out at 7:28, Marc Liegghio tied the score with a 23-yard boot at 13:13.
But during Hamilton’s drive, Alexander rode a stationary bike and appeared to rub his left hamstring. Alexander spent two stints on the injured list this season — making just seven starts — with a hamstring ailment.
Alexander didn’t run on Montreal’s decisive drive but did complete two-of-three passes for 28 yards. He finished 19-of-26 passing for 210 yards with a TD and interception while rushing seven times for a team-high 64 yards.
Hamilton starter Bo Levi Mitchell completed 29-of-36 passes for 269 yards with a TD and interception.
Both teams made pre-game roster moves.
Montreal listed Canadian guard Pier-Olivier Lestage and American defensive lineman Shawn Lemon as out. First-year American Des Holmes came off the practice roster to start for Lestage at left guard while receiver Hakeem Harris was added to the roster from the practice roster.
Hamilton cornerback Jonathan Moxey was listed as out. American rookie Quavian White came off the injured list to replace Moxey. No reasons were given by either team for the moves.
Tyler Snead scored Montreal’s touchdown. Maltos Diaz kicked four field goals and a convert.
Shemar Bridges had Hamilton’s touchdown. Liegghio added three field goals and a convert.
Mitchell’s three-yard touchdown pass to Bridges at 11:19 of the third cut Montreal’s lead to 13-10. Mitchell was eight-of-eight passing for 69 yards on the 10-play, 77-yard possession.
Alexander hit Snead on a 48-yard strike for the game’s first TD at 4:42, ending an eight-play, 63-yard march that opened the second half.
Maltos Diaz’s 36-yard field goal at 14:56 of the second staked Montreal to a 6-3 halftime lead as the kickers accounted for all of the first-half scoring. Diaz’s boot capped a smart five-play, 42-yard march after Liegghio’s 29-yard field goal at 14:22 made it 3-3.
But Hamilton was its own worst enemy in the half, partly because of five penalties for 81 yards (compared to one for 10 yards for Montreal). Two for a combined 25 yards (unnecessary roughness, objectionable conduct) came against tackle Jordan Murray to erase Greg Bell’s 13-yard run to the Montreal 22-yard line as the Ticats ultimately settled for Liegghio’s boot.
And in the first quarter, Wesley Sutton’s interception gave Montreal possession at its four-yard line. In addition, Maltos Diaz’s 29-yard field goal to open the scoring at 6:48 was set up by a 41-yard interference call against White.
The opening half was definitely a defensive battle as Hamilton managed 167 net yards, 14 more than Montreal. Mitchell was 12-of-15 passing for 119 yards while Alexander completed nine-of-13 attempts for 80 yards but had a half-leading 48 rushing yards on five carries.
