OTTAWA — Hamilton Tiger-Cats coach Kent Austin didn't worry about wins or losses on Thursday night, which was a good thing.
Ray Early kicked a 37-yard field goal with 68 seconds left to play to give the Ottawa Redblacks a 30-29 win over the Tiger-Cats, who had a nine-point lead with six minutes to play.
"I think our effort was pretty good and we played a pretty clean game, but game's like this, the only thing that's important is that you learn from it," said Austin, adding that the late loss was a teachable moment. "Learn from it as an individual player, learn from it as a football team.
"We had a nine-point lead and we let them get back in the game. We need to learn to be more resilient and extent the lead."
Both teams combined to use seven quarterbacks as they opened the pre-season portion of their CFL season.
The Tiger-Cats used Jeremiah Masoli, Everett Golson, Matt Johnson and Cody Keith while the Redblacks countered with Trevor Harris, Drew Tate and Ryan Lindley.
Ottawa used all three of its available quarterbacks in the first half and in keeping with the theme of getting everyone involved, 11 different receivers caught passes in the first half alone.
"We just came out here to play fast," said receiver Tori Gurley, who was making his Redblacks debut after signing with the team in the off-season. "Everything we've been scripting in practice, it's just great to see it come to life. We've got a lot of work to do and we're going to watch the film and break it down and get ready for the next game.
"We've still got to work on timing and I know there's some things I need to work on but we have to just keep practising and keep having fun."
Harris started, completing 12-of-15 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown.
Harris led his team 87 yards downfield culminating in a 17-yard touchdown pass to Juron Criner at 3:45 of the first quarter on the opening drive of the game. A two-point conversion gave Ottawa an 8-0 lead.
"I've been ready to start the season since December. It was a relief to get out there and get executing. I was itching for a while to get that," said Harris, the only returning QB from the Redblacks Grey Cup championship team last year.
A 17-yard field goal by Early gave the Redblacks an 11-0 lead, then Hamilton's Masoli threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Ross Scheuerman 13 minutes into the first quarter.
Masoli then ran himself into the end zone for the two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 11-8. He left the game having thrown for 90 yards and five completions on eight attempts. He was replaced by Golson.
Tate took over for Harris on the next series and got the Redblacks close enough for Early to kick a 26-yard field goal two minutes into the second quarter.
Later in the quarter with Lindley at the helm, Zack Medeiros came on for Early and kicked a 47-yard field goal at 10:35 of the second quarter, extending Ottawa's lead to 17-8.
Lindley went the rest of the way for the Redblacks.
Less than two minutes before halftime, Golson ran in a one-yard touchdown that was converted by Sergio Castillo and the Tiger-Cats went into the half trailing 17-15.
Hamilton opened the second half with Johnson at QB but the only points under his watch came on a punt single from Ryan Hawkins in the opening drive of the third quarter.
Medeiros responded with his second 47-yard field goal of the game six minutes into the third giving the Redblacks a 20-16 lead.
Johnson left with two minutes to play in the quarter with a leg injury and the Tiger-Cats on the Ottawa five-yard line. Keith came on for two plays before being replaced by Golson, who scored his second touchdown of the game, again from one yard out.
The point after was wide by Castillo and Hamilton led 22-20 after three quarters.
Keith came back in the fourth quarter and finished a drive with a three yard touchdown run four minutes into the quarter that was converted by Hawkins for a 29-20 Ticats lead.
Lindley threw an eight-yard TD pass to Shakir Bell with six minutes to play pulling the Redblacks to within two at 29-27.
Darren Desaulniers, The Canadian Press
