THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL – Zach Collaros ran in a touchdown and threw to John Chiles and Dontrelle Inman for two others Sunday as the Toronto Argonauts scored 23 third-quarter points en route to a 37-30 comeback victory over the Montreal Alouettes.
The Argonauts (6-4) retained first place in the CFL East Division by avenging a 20-9 loss to the third-place Alouettes (4-6) in Toronto on Tuesday.
Defensive tackle Kiante Tripp also scored on an interception, and kicker Noel Prefontaine missed three field goal attempts but added two field goals and four singles.
PHOTOS: TORONTO 37 – MONTREAL 30 »
Rookie quarterback Tanner Marsh threw a TD pass to Duron Carter and ran one in himself for Montreal. Defensive back Geoff Tisdale also scored.
WATCH: DURON CARTER’S FIRST CFL TD »
The rematch was missing several star players, notably Toronto kick return ace and receiving leader Chad Owens, the reigning CFL outstanding Ppayer, who sat out with bruised ribs.
Marsh started a second game in a row for Montreal in place of the concussed Anthony Calvillo, while Collaros was in for Ricky Ray, who has a shoulder injury.
With both teams missing their starting quarterbacks, running backs and a top receiver, it was not surprising that the first half did not have an offensive touchdown.
Instead, turnovers were front and centre of a game that broke open in the second half.
Montreal got on the board early when John Bowman stripped the ball from Chiles and Tisdale ran it back 47 yards for a touchdown at 1:24.
WATCH: TISDALE’S FUMBLE-RETURN TD »
Montreal added three field goals, while Toronto picked up five points on kicks for a 16-5 Montreal lead at the intermission.
Midway through the third quarter, Bear Woods tackled Prefontaine on a punt attempt, forcing a fumble that Ed Gainey ran to the one. Marsh scored on his first attempt at 8:02.
WATCH: ED GAINEY’S FUMBLE RETURN TO THE ONE »
The Argos answered back with Collaros’ 21-yard TD run at 9:22. Less than two minutes later, Jermaine Gabriel hit Marsh as he was throwing and the ball squirted to Tripp, who ran it in 54 yards for a TD.
On their next possession, Chiles was left wide open for a 54-yard TD reception at 13:31 and Toronto had its first lead of the day at 28-23.
It didn’t last long, as Marsh hit Carter with a 45-yard scoring toss on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
Toronto tied it on a pair of Prefontaine singles and took a seven-point lead when Collaros found Inman with a five-yard TD pass with 1:17 left to play.
Montreal marched back to the Toronto 11, but a last-gasp pass was picked off in the end zone by Alonzo Lawrence.
