Preview: Tiger-Cats at Stampeders

5-10

9-6

Hamilton needed help to keep their playoff hopes alive and they got it. Winnipeg beat Toronto and BC beat Edmonton, which means a win by the Cats in tonight's game in Calgary will put them one game back of both Toronto and Edmonton with two to play.

But while that is undoubtedly a stroke of very good fortune, fortune has not favoured the Ti-Cats in their recent excursions to Calgary. During Bob Young's tenure as owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, one of the most infrequent occurrences is a Hamilton win in Calgary. Since 2004, the Ti-Cats have won just once in Calgary... and that was in 2004. The Ti-Cats have lost seven straight to the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, and most have been of the blowout variety. So while the Ti-Cats could really use a win tonight, it won't come easy.

There are a ton of subplots to this game, be it Henry Burris' return to to Calgary or Kevin Glenn (and the rest of "Ti-Cats West") taking on his former team, the only thing that matters is a win. The Ti-Cats have to win. Everything fell their way last night and they have to take advantage of that.

If there was ever a time for the Ti-Cats to beat back the Cowtown jinx, it would be tonight. We'll see if Burris can make his homecoming a successful one when the two teams kick things off at 7 p.m.