The Montreal Alouettes did not enjoy the benefit of home Friday night.
With 2:41 left in the third quarter of their game with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the Als behind, 17-10, the skies opened. There was a 60-minute lightning and weather delay.
And after the hour wait, the CFL ruled the game was done and the Roughriders had a victory.
The current weather protocol was negotiated into the CFL and CFL Players’ Association CBA this spring.
“We knew what the circumstances were if they would’ve canceled the game,” Alouettes returner Shakeir Ryan said. “We would’ve taken the loss. We were anxious to get back out there on the field. We all wanted to go back out there and play and finish the game.
“At least let us decide the end of the game, not the weather.”
It marked the first time in Canadian Football League history a game has been called due to weather. The result became official because it was more than halfway through the third period, combined with the lengthy delay. Coincidentally, the league changed its weather policy this season.
“A win is a win, but we wanted to play 60 minutes,” Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson said. “A rule is a rule, but if they feel they have to cancel the game, that’s fine. Our guys are celebrating right now, but we really felt like we wanted to get out there and play another quarter.”
The CFL issued a statement on the decision:
Game 42 between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders has been called following a weather delay which began at 9:06 p.m. ET and concluded at 10:06 p.m. ET. In accordance with the CFL and the CFLPA’s weather protocol, Saskatchewan has won the game by a score of 17-10. At the time of delay, 2:41 remained in the third quarter.
The decision to finalize the game was made in consideration of the weather protocol which was jointly developed between the CFL and the Management Council comprised of Club Presidents to address in-game situations where the safety of players, officials and fans may be affected by inclement weather. The weather protocol was negotiated into the CFL and the CFLPA’s collective bargaining agreement this past spring.
The weather protocol states that if there is a stoppage greater than 60 minutes after the game becomes official at the midway point of the third quarter, the game will be considered final, and that two points will be awarded to the leading team
The game was halted at 9:06 ET and ruled final an hour later.
The 1956 Grey Cup in Toronto was suspended because of fog, but it was completed the next day
