The Edmonton Elks finished their 2022 CFL preseason schedule with a 1-1 record after dropping a 37-7 decision Friday to the Calgary Stampeders at The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium on Stand With Ukraine night.
Kai Locksley scored Edmonton’s lone touchdown, with a two-yard rush late in the fourth quarter. The rookie quarterback also threw for 124 yards on 9/13 passing.
Tre Ford led the Elks’ ground attack with 40 yards rushing, and Jalin Marshall was Edmonton’s top receiver, hauling in four passes for 58 yards.
📸 Sights from #StandWithUkraine night.#GoElks #CFL pic.twitter.com/tkSYZk4XQv
— Edmonton Elks (@GoElks) June 4, 2022
Calgary held a slight edge in total yards offence, 337-322, and time of possession, 30:35 to 29:25. The major difference came in the game’s turnover battle, with the Stamps picking off three Elks passes and recovering two fumbles, while Edmonton had zero takeaways.
“When we step into this building, our effort level’s got to be way higher than that,” said Elks coach and general manager Chris Jones, whose team opened the preseason with a 30-20 win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at IG Field on May 27.
“I don’t care if it’s a preseason game or not, but we did not play with near the energy that we played with last week at Winnipeg. We played good solid football last week. It was not perfect, certainly, but tonight was not indicative of who will be as a football team.”
Calgary took an early lead after Tommy Steen scored a touchdown on a one-yard carry, capping off a 35-yard, five-play drive that was set up when Elks kicker Caleb Lightbourn had his punt blocked and the Stamps recovered. Keiran Burnham then hit a 32-yard field goal to put Calgary in front 10-0 after the opening quarter. Calgary’s Dedrick Mills carried the ball for a five-yard touchdown with just over five minutes remaining in the second quarter, extending the visitor’s advantage to 17-0 at the half.
Edmonton got on the board early in the second half with a point from a single when Rafael Gaglianone missed a 38-yard field goal. The Stamps responded with Mills scoring his second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard carry. Burnham booted a 41-yard field goal late in third to put Calgary ahead 27-1.
Calgary’s lead grew to 34-1 after Chad Fourcade connected with Juston Christian on a 27-yard touchdown on the opening play of the fourth quarter. Burnham’s third field goal of the night, from 49 yards, on Calgary’ ensuing possession put the Stamps up 37-1. Locksley closed the evening’s scoring, finding the end zone on a QB sneak for the Elks, capping a long drive that started at Edmonton’s 37.
Edmonton opens the 2022 CFL regular season with a road game on June 11 against the B.C. Lions at 8 p.m. MDT.
Net proceeds from Stand With Ukraine night are going to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.