(CP)
Friday, July 4, 2008

EDMONTON—It took a highlight-reel catch from Jason Tucker to stop the Edmonton Eskimos from blowing another game in the fourth quarter.
Tucker made a dramatic 36-yard touchdown reception with just 55 seconds left to go as the Eskimos came back to defeat the rival Calgary Stampeders 34-31 in Edmonton’s home opener last night.

The catch came less than a minute after Brett Ralph reeled in his second touchdown of the fourth quarter, giving the Stampeders their first lead of the game and what looked like a victory.
Edmonton quarterback Ricky Ray, who threw for 448 yards in the win, said it was a massive victory for the team, which has seen all too many games slip away in the late stages in recent years.
‘‘To have the lead all game long and then lose it at the end and then be able to fight back and get the lead again, that’s big for us,’’ he said. ‘‘We lost a lot of games like that in the fourth quarter in the last few years. It was nice to build some confidence and prove to this team that all we have to do is play 60 minutes.’’
Edmonton head coach Danny Maciocia was also breathing a sigh of relief.
‘‘It’s a huge win because this is what they have to experience,’’ he said. ‘‘They have to understand that when you are playing from behind that it is time to buckle up and get your act together. To believe in one another and get it done. And that’s exactly what happened.
‘‘We got the W. That’s what it is all about.’’
The Eskimos (1-1) snapped a seven-game losing streak dating back to last season and were in jeopardy of losing eight in a row for the first time since 1971.
John Hufnagel took his first loss as a head coach of the Stampeders (1-1).
‘‘There is no easy way to lose,’’ he said. ‘‘The good teams are the ones that make the play at the end to win it. They were the ones that made the play.
‘‘But we certainly made a game of it. Hopefully it was a learning experience for us.’’
Leading 25-17 after the third quarter, Edmonton looked to have caught a break five minutes into the fourth as Stamps running back Demetris Summers fumbled at midfield and Eskimos defensive tackle Dario Romero recovered. But they were unable to convert as Noel Prefontaine missed a 34-yard field goal attempt and the Esks settled for a single.
It proved costly. On the Stamps’ next possession, Calgary pivot Henry Burris threw a long bomb to Ralph. The 65-yard TD strike cut Edmonton’s lead to just two points with five minutes left.
Prefontaine restored the three point edge with a punt single, but Calgary came roaring back to take their first lead of the game as Burris hit Ralph on a 20-yard strike to go up by four with just 1:38 to play.
But the Eskimos dug deep and put together a last second scoring drive of their own as Tucker made a one-handed circus catch in the end zone with just 55 seconds left.
“That was an unbelievable catch,” Maciocia said. “When we are in a situation like that you know we are going to call 83’s (Tucker’s) number. We’ve done that a few times over their careers. He caught the ball with one-hand over his inside shoulder.”