The Montreal Alouettes suffered a heartbreaking 21-20 loss to the B.C. Lions Saturday night at Molson Stadium, thanks to a costly penalty and a walk-off field goal.
With 28 seconds left, Montreal had just taken a 20-18 lead when guard Pier-Olivier Lestage was flagged for a 15-yard misconduct penalty, forcing a deeper kickoff. That mistake allowed B.C. to start their final drive near midfield. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke then moved his team into field-goal range with quick completions, setting up Sean Whyte’s 43-yard game-winner as time expired.
The penalty capped a frustrating night for the Alouettes (3-2), who started strong but couldn’t close. Backup quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson, filling in for the injured Davis Alexander, threw two touchdowns but struggled down the stretch, missing key passes and briefly exiting after a hard hit.
Montreal’s defense limited the Lions to two touchdowns, but Rourke, returning from injury, torched the Alouettes’ secondary with 352 passing yards. A critical breakdown came late when safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy slipped, allowing a 46-yard B.C. touchdown that put the game within reach.
After the game, Alouettes coach Jason Maas called the penalty “a huge deal,” adding that while Lestage was remorseful, “we can’t let emotions cost us games.”
Montreal, which started the season 3-0, has now dropped two straight and faces growing pressure heading into their bye week before a key matchup against Toronto on July 17. Starting QB Alexander is expected to return for that game—a boost the Alouettes desperately need to get their promising season back on track.
Lions Stun Alouettes with Buzzer-Beater Field Goal After Montreal Meltdown
