pass by Ellis and coasted in for a layup with 1:15 remaining.

MONTREAL - It seems so long ago that the Winnipeg Blue Bombers went into Percival Molson Stadium and beat the Montreal Alouettes 19-11 on July 4. Who knew then that the Bombers would be 2-12 and facing playoff elimination when they returned to Montreal three months later? Watch the game on TSN starting at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. You can also follow along with TSN.cas GameTracker. Or that the perennially contending Alouettes (6-8) would be recovering from their own setbacks, including the firing of new coach Dan Hawkins only five games into the season and a concussion that has sidelined quarterback Anthony Calvillo since Aug. 17? It was all optimism back then, and now both teams will be looking to salvage what they can from a season of frustration when they face each other on Monday afternoon. "Throw out all the stats, throw all the records out the window — all that matters is the win," Montreal coach Jim Popp. The Alouettes at least still have hope. A win Monday would give them their first three-game streak of the season and set them up for a battle for second place in the East Division in back to back games beginning Sunday against the second-place Hamilton Tiger-Cats (7-7). Finishing at 9-9 — the same record Toronto had last season before winning the Grey Cup — is not out of the question. "Theres a great feeling in the locker room and on the field," said linebacker Shea Emry. "Theres a better tempo. "Its exciting to see a team come together like that because, in years past, weve come together early on the season and then kind of dwindled at the end. But we are trying to peak. Were not there yet, but were looking towards it." For the Bombers to make the playoffs, they need to beat Montreal to win the three-game season series between the two clubs, plus win their three other remaining games and have the Alouettes lose all their games. Slim chances, indeed, and they got slimmer this week when the Bombers traded CFL sacks leader Alex Hall to Saskatchewan for an injured offensive lineman and a draft pick. But coach Tim Burke said he hasnt sensed that any of his players have thrown in the towel yet. "I dont think so,"he said. "We had another good week of practice. "We were really focused. Guys really want to play." Josh Neiswander has taken over as the starting quarterback in Montreal and has looked sharp, particularly in a 47-24 win last week in Edmonton. He has thrown only one interception in his last three games. He got the job when rookie Tanner Marsh tore a ligament in his right thumb a month ago. Marsh resumed practising this week and will dress as the third quarterback, but probably wont play. The defence has been especially effective, leading the league against the run and featuring an aggressive pass rush that has led to them leading in interceptions with 22. Popp said he asked his team to forget the first 12 games, when they were 4-8, and focus on the last six as a kind of mini-season leading into the playoffs. So far, they are 2-0 in that segment. "We had a bad start, but so did B.C. in 2011," said Emry of the Lions Grey Cup victory after a horrendous start. "I guess were trying to create our own little story over here." Linebacker Kyries Hebert said the Alouettes cannot allow themselves to take the Bombers lightly despite their four-game losing run. "Its the same as you prepare for a 12-2 team," said Hebert. "These guys lost some close games. "They found a way to come here and get a victory in Montreal. So, bigger than their record is the fact that theyre a divisional opponent and they beat us on our home turf, so we have to come back and redeem ourselves." Max Hall is likely to start for the Bombers, although Burke said the race is still on for the No. 1 job with Justin Goltz and Jason Boltus. "I dont think any of our quarterbacks have reached the point where you could say theyre starting quarterback calibre in this league," said Burke. "One of our guys has to step forward in the remainder of this year or were going to have to go out and get another quarterback." The same is true at a few positions on a team that Burke said has "personnel deficiencies." Many Winnipeg players are fighting for jobs for next season, so they wont lack motivation. And Burke himself has to wonder if he will be retained, although he feels he deserves another chance after enduring a lot of injuries and not a lot of talent. "Id like to be back," said the former Alouettes defensive co-ordinator. "Id like to have a chance to work with a team that has more of its pieces put together. "I think it would be tough for anybody to handle what weve gone through. I believe the team has competed hard every week. Weve put forth the energy necessary to be a competitive team. Nobody has ever given up. We were just not good enough." Adidas Shoes Clearance Australia . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. Adidas Shoes Australia Factory Outlet . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. http://www.cheapshoesadidasaustralia.com/ . LA (SportsNetwork. Cheap Adidas Online Australia . -- J.R. Sweezy was the one part of the Seattle Seahawks offensive line that had avoided injuries or having to change positions this season. Adidas Shoes Australia Sale . Or, for that matter, the aged.DALLAS - Monta Ellis came to Dallas because he wanted to pair up with Dirk Nowitzki and see what kind of scoring tag team they could be. With the Mavericks in danger of making their playoff road much more difficult, they shared their best moment of the season. Ellis matched his season high with 37 points and Nowitzki scored 21 of his 23 during a second-half rally that carried the Mavericks back to the post-season in a 101-98 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night. "The reason we won is because we had one of the best players on the planet in Dirk," coach Rick Carlisle said. "And because Monta Ellis, at the time we needed him most, stepped up and played his biggest game of the year." The Mavericks left the Suns and Memphis to battle for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference by winning their home finale, and avoided a possible winner-take-all game at the Grizzlies on the last night of the regular season. Dallas is back in the playoffs after a 12-year streak ended last season. "It felt like the playoffs started early this year," Nowitzki said. "This is where we want to be, on the big stage of the playoffs." Eric Bledsoe scored 29 points and Channing Frye had 21 after a hot start for the Suns, who play Memphis on Monday night in a game that figures to go a long way toward deciding the final playoff team in the West. "Weve got to stay positive," Bledsoe said. "You could tell it was a playoff atmosphere. I thought everybody laid it out on the court." Ellis and Nowitzki brought the Mavericks back by hitting five 3-pointers between them in less than 4 minutes of the third quarter, erasing most of a 13-point deficit. Then they teamed to get the lead back in the fourth, and Dallas held on in the final minutes. Nowitzki broke an 89-all tie with a 3-pointer, shouting "Boom!" as he signalled a "3 with both hands. Seconds later, Ellis stole the ball from Frye and hit a tough layup with Bledsoe riding his hip. After a rare miss from Frye — who made his first five 3-pointers — Devin Harris hit a 3 from the top of the key, holding his arms upp and looking to the ceiling in apparent relief after struggling from long range recently.dddddddddddd The Suns were down 99-91, but got back within two when Bledsoe stole a pass by Ellis and coasted in for a layup with 1:15 remaining. It was one of 19 turnovers for the Mavericks, and the Suns had 18 in a fast-paced game with a lot of wild passes. Bledsoe then missed a free throw that would have tied the game again, and Ellis missed one of two from the line twice in the final 20 seconds to give Phoenix more chances to tie or go ahead. The Mavericks were finally safely in the playoffs when Markieff Morris was off target on a high-arching 3-point try with 2 seconds left. Ellis, who was 15 of 23 from the field and made three of four from long range, kept up his hot shooting in the third quarter and Nowitzki joined him after a cold first half as the Mavericks top two scorers combined for 44 points after halftime. "I was just feeling what the defence would do," said Ellis, who made the playoffs last year with Milwaukee but got swept by Miami in the first round and longed for a change, signing with Dallas as a free agent. "The floor was open for me. Coach just had me attack." Dallas third-quarter surge started after P.J. Tucker missed a free throw on a potential three-point play that would have given the Suns their biggest lead at 70-56. Vince Carter made a driving layup and Ellis hit back-to-back shots from the side of the 3-point arc, screaming for emphasis after the second one. Then it was Nowitzkis turn to hit two in a row and shout, which he did after getting Dallas within 72-70 from a couple of feet behind the arc late in the third quarter. The Mavericks took their first lead since midway through the second quarter when Nowitzki hit a layup on a pass from Ellis to go up 88-87 midway through the fourth quarter. NOTES: Goran Dragic played with a sprained left ankle after missing a game the previous night in San Antonio and finished with 13 points on just 6-of-18 shooting. ... Carter passed Adrian Dantley for 25th on the scoring list. He finished with 12 points and now has 23,183 points, six ahead of Dantley. ' ' '