Neck guard sales jump after Sask. hockey player slashed by skate
13h ago
More adult players are now investing in the protective equipment.
The math is simple for the Saskatchewan Roughriders – win and punch a ticket to the CFL postseason.
If the Green and White lose, their fate is no longer in their hands.
The Riders take on the Calgary Stampeders on Friday at McMahon Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 5:30 p.m.
In the previous two matchups, the Riders emerged from McMahon Stadium with a 29-26 overtime win but the Stamps evened the series atMosa ic Stadium with a 33-31 win.
The winner in Saturday’s game will clinch the season series, which would send the Riders to the playoffs. If Calgary wins, the Stamps would just need one more win than the Riders in the final two weeks of the season – Saskatchewan only has one game left due to a bye-week in the final week of the regular season.
“We’re steering the ship for our own destiny,” said Riders quarterback Jake Dolegala. “We win this week and we’re in and that’s just what we’ve got to do.”
While the Riders (6-10) have struggled recently, losing five games in a row, the Stamps (4-11) have also struggled to build momentum.
But despite the Stamps’ struggles, head coach Craig Dickenson believes it’s the same old Calgary team that has made an appearance in the CFL playoffs every season since 2005.
“They do things a certain way over there,” Dickenson said. “They are a well-coached, well-run organization and a very proud organization. They are going to have a good game plan.
“We expect a tough game from them. A well-coached unit on all three phases … They seem like a group that is hungry to catch a break. They have had a lot of injuries like we have and I think it’s going to be a real even game, a good game to go watch. I think it’s going to be really close.”
This will be the first time Dolegala faces the Stamps as the Riders’ starter. He took over the starting job after a knee injury to Trevor Harris in the last game between these two clubs and then a hamstring injury to Mason Fine a few weeks later.
Dolegala has thrown for 1,733 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions in seven starts this season.
The Riders could lean on their ground game once again like they did the last time they visited Calgary. In the game, Jamal Morrow rushed for 133 yards – his season-high.
“We have to do it again (and win on the road),” Morrow said. “The last few times we have played, it has been exciting and close games. We know what we need to do to win and this is the time to go out there. There’s only so much you can say – you have to go out there and actually play and execute.”
On defence, the Riders will try to contain Ka’Deem Carey, who missed both of the previous games due to an injury.
The Riders’ rushing defence has been among the worst in the CFL this season, giving up an average of 124.3 yards per game (third-most in the CFL).
Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back Deontai Williams and the Riders’ defence will try to regain their form against Calgary. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)
The Stamps will be without two of their big offensive weapons in slotback Reggie Begelton and wide receiver Tommylee Lewis.
But the defence knows they can’t give up big plays to Stamps quarterback Jake Maier and the Calgary offence.
“Just go out there and be the defence we know that we can be,” said defensive back Deontai Williams. “We need to have that energy to go out there and make plays and just play football.
“Other than that, it’s going to be one of the biggest games for us and we know what’s all on the line so we’re going to give it our all out there.”
Prior to this game, veterans and even general manager Jeremy O’Day spoke to the group to let them know how they can turn this losing streak around and what’s needed to win a championship.
“(The message was) we have the talent in the room, we just need to lock in, especially this week,” Williams said. “We need to sacrifice our body this week and go the extra mile, especially against Calgary.
“We know what’s on the line right now and we know what we can do. This is a special group in this locker room and we have all the talent in the world … It’s just up to us and we have to execute the plan this week and dominate.”
While the Riders’ haven’t won since Sept. 3, Morrow said the confidence is still there.
“We just have to be able to execute the little things. When little things slowly start to happen, the big things happen,” Morrow said. “We have to be able to go back and correct the little things that we need to correct.”