David Menard is one of the few remaining B.C. Lions who knows what it鈥檚 like to suit up for a playoff game in Vancouver.
It鈥檚 been six years since the Lions faced the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division semifinal at B.C. Place, but the matchup has stayed with the veteran defensive lineman.
鈥淚 remember it was a really, really tough game,鈥� Menard said. 鈥淚t was a physical game and it took everything that we had at the moment.
鈥淏ut the feeling after, though, it was amazing, winning that game at home. It was just an amazing feeling and I can鈥檛 wait for Sunday to have the same feeling again, but even better.鈥�
B.C. will make its first post-season appearance since 2018 on Sunday, hosting the Calgary Stampeders in the West Division semifinal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time coming,鈥� said Lions wide receiver Bryan Burnham. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a part of some good teams that just weren鈥檛 able to get it done. And to be a part of this team and to be in the position that we鈥檙e in to be hosting a playoff game, it鈥檚 awesome.鈥�
The winner of Sunday鈥檚 game will take on the defending Grey Cup champion Blue Bombers in the West final in Winnipeg on Nov. 13. This year鈥檚 CFL championship game will be played Nov. 20 in Regina.
With big games looming, Lions head coach Rick Campbell has kept the focus tight this week.
鈥淚 tell (the players) the recipe for winning doesn鈥檛 change,鈥� he said Friday after his team capped practice by gathering on the sidelines to watch regular-season highlights on the Jumbotron.
鈥淭he stage gets bigger but as far as how you win football games, that doesn鈥檛 change. And we just want to get ready to go this whole week and then when the ball is kicked off, play as good of football as we can play.鈥�
B.C. and Calgary posted identical 12-6 records across the regular season but the Lions had a 2-1 edge in the head-to-head series.
The Lions know chalking up another victory on Sunday won鈥檛 be easy.
The Stampeders come in with back-to-back wins against the Saskatchewan Roughriders and are in the playoffs for a club-record 17th straight season.
Calgary topped the league in scoring during regular-season play with 562 points. Running back Ka鈥橠eem Carey powered a potent ground game, amassing a CFL-best 1,088 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really something else,鈥� Menard said of the 30-year-old Arizona product. 鈥淗e鈥檚 great, he can break tackles, he鈥檚 fast. When he hits the spot, when he hits the hole, he鈥檚 really fast. So we鈥檝e just got to stop him and make our tackles.鈥�
B.C. has weapons of its own, including quarterback Nathan Rourke, who is expected to start in his first CFL playoff game Sunday.
The 24-year-old Canadian wowed onlookers in his first season as starter, completing 248 of 313 passes (79.2 per cent) for 3,281 yards with 25 TDs and 10 interceptions before suffering a foot injury that required surgery.
Rourke missed eight games before returning in the Lions鈥� loss to the Blue Bombers last week. He鈥檚 confident he鈥檚 the best option for B.C. this weekend.
鈥淚 think I鈥檒l be able to do what I need to do to be able to give the team the best shot to win,鈥� Rourke said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 the simplest way to say it. Obviously, I think that at this point in the season, everyone鈥檚 dealing with something different. No one鈥檚 really feeling 100 per cent and I鈥檓 no exception.鈥�
Burnham will also slot back into the lineup after missing five games with a fractured wrist.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a tough road this season for me personally,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut to be honest with you, as crazy as it may sound, I don鈥檛 want to take anything back. I don鈥檛 have any regrets.
鈥淭he injuries have made me stronger, and I鈥檝e been able to be around this group of guys. So it鈥檚 been a privilege. I鈥檝e loved every moment of it.鈥�
CALGARY STAMPEDERS (12-6) AT B.C. LIONS (12-6)
West Division semifinal, Sunday, B.C. Place
INS AND OUTS: The Lions will be without speedy receiver Lucky Whitehead (ankle) and veteran offensive lineman Joel Figueroa (shoulder). Stampeders defensive backs Marcelis Branch (hip), Parnell Motley (illness) and Tre Roberson (knee), and offensive lineman Joshua Coker (arm) did not practise on Thursday.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE?: The road team won each matchup between the two squads during regular-season play. The last time Calgary or B.C. beat the other at home was June 29, 2019, when the Stampeders won 36-32 at McMahon Stadium.
HISTORY BOOKS: The Lions haven鈥檛 fared well against the Stamps in previous West Division semifinals. Calgary has a 6-0 record in first-round playoff meetings between the two sides.
鈥擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
