They don’t have much time to dwell on what happened last week. As the 0-1 BC Lions invade Steeltown and a Friday Night Football date with the 1-1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the prevailing wisdom among the squad is that they simply must be better than they were in Saskatchewan. That’s in all three phases. It’s a week three tilt with plenty of juicy storylines, especially after Bo Levi Mitchell and company looked very impressive in their victory at Winnipeg last week. With more on this tilt, we present our 5 Things To Know game preview.
Game 2: BC Lions at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Friday, June 19
4:30 pm, Hamilton Stadium
TV: TSN
Stream: CFL+ (US & International)
Radio: 730 CKNW/Lions Audio Network/Sher-E- Punjab Radio AM 600
1. Containing Hamilton’s Gamebreakers
After allowing 489 yards of net offence last week, the Lions’ secondary will no doubt be under the microscope against Mitchell and an equally impressive group of receivers. Kenny Lawler has had his share of big games against the Leos in past years, while Keric Wheatfall and Kiondre Smith both stood out in a big way in their victory at the Bombers, the latter duo combining for 194 yards. With a mixture of veterans and newcomers, the Lions defensive backs are a proud bunch who know that what happened last week won’t get the job done. An early turnover might be just what the doctor ordered, as will getting off the field in second-and-long situations.
2. Next Man Up
They were already resigned to the fact that Jevon Cottoy, Seven McGee and Stanley Berryhill would miss some time. Then came Wednesday practice and the news that Keon Hatcher’s thigh injury made him a non-participant. Hatcher is on the trip and officially listed as a Game Time Decision. Should he not be able to dress, that would leave the visitors without four starting receivers. Rookie Jaden Williams, a product of Texas State, was brought along in case Hatcher can’t suit up. The other three will be replaced by 2026 CFL Draft Pick Nick Cenacle, rookie Silas Bolden and recently re-signed Jermaine Jackson. Bolden will be expected to carry the load on punt returns in McGee’s absence and is listed as a backup to Kieran Poissant on offence. Simply put, it’s times like these where the depth of your organization simply must prove itself. They will be up for this big challenge.
3. Start Fast, Finish Stronger
Falling behind 14-0 when the game is less than 20 minutes old is never ideal, especially in the hostile environments this Lions team is starting in for the first two weeks. It might be cliché to reference the fact that a quick start should be a big key to victory, but given Nathan Rourke and the offence’s ability to stretch the field and chip away at the Saskatchewan lead last week, a better start will be paramount. With this matchup of gunslinger quarterbacks, expect it to once again come down to the wire.
4. Utilizing The Two-Back Monster
Despite finishing with only 35 yards on nine carries in the opener, James Butler made the most of his touches by scoring two of the Lions’ three majors. Zander Horvath was even less productive, only rushing for five yards on three rushes, but was used effectively in short yardage and also threw a nice block on one of the Butler majors. Being able to make the most out of these two tailbacks on the active roster could give the Lions a much-needed asset in their quest to become the CFL’s best offence once again. Should they get out to an early lead against the Ticats, look for them to run the ball a lot more effectively.
5. What They’re Saying
“Teams and the quarterbacks in the league right now are all playing at a very high level. If you look across the board, everybody’s playing well. Bo’s a future Hall of Famer. He’s seen it all, done it all. We’ve got to make sure we keep him off his mark a little bit.”- Buck Pierce on the Rourke vs. Mitchell quarterback matchup.
” It’s opportunities for guys to step up, opportunities for guys that have been here working, guys that are on a roster that deserve opportunities. It’s no different than any other team. Everybody deals with it at some point. Adversity is part of our game, and we’re excited to see some of these guys play.”- Pierce on being shorthanded at receiver.
“Every game is an opportunity for us to go out there and try to win a game. That’s why we’re here, to win games. Obviously, a tough one last week but it’s a long season and probably a lot to learn from and a lot to go from here.”- Rourke on the urgency to bounce back.
Extra Points
The Lions have enjoyed a recent run of success in Hamilton, winning their last three meetings. The last defeat in Steeltown came in November of 2021, before the squad didn’t make an appearance there the next season. In the all-time regular season series matchup with the Tiger-Cats, BC holds a 59-43-3 advantage. Keeping with the theme of road team success, Hamilton is undefeated in their last three trips to Vancouver. They make their way to Save-On-Foods Field at BC Place in week ten on Saturday, August 8.
Nathan Rourke needs just five more passing yards to move ahead of Joe Paopao for seventh on the Lions’ all-time list. Rourke is also 19 completions away from overtaking Paopao for seventh spot in that category with 838. His 330-yard performance in Saskatchewan was his fourth consecutive start of over 300 passing yards, dating back to 2025.
Keon Hatcher Sr. also continues to climb the club record books, needing only 16 receiving yards to pass Alfred “Action” Jackson for 13th among all-time Lions.
Although they were able to move the ball with consistency last week, the Lions’ average starting field position was their own 32-yard line, the worst in the CFL in week two. Bolden will be counted on to help flip field position in the return game.