Montreal @ Ottawa preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2016 ) Ottawa 19, Montreal 14

The Montreal Alouettes look to build on their impressive Week 4 win when they make the short trip to the nation's capital to battle the Ottawa Redblacks on Wednesday. The Alouettes scored 14 of the final 17 points to stun the Calgary Stampeders 30-23 and hope that their upset victory can serve as a springboard for success, as they can move into sole possession of first place in the East Division with their second straight win at TD Place.

"This team believes in me and I believe in my guys," Montreal quarterback Darian Durant told reporters. "We have the team to make a run at it." The Redblacks missed a possible game-tying 2-point conversion with 27 seconds remaining to drop a 23-21 decision to the Edmonton Eskimos on Friday. Ottawa, which has lost three consecutive games by a combined seven points, hopes to avenge a 43-19 home setback to the Alouettes last season and pick up its first win of the season in the process. "We don't create enough big plays and we give up big plays and that's been the difference for us in losing games," Redblacks coach Rick Campbell told reporters. "I give the other teams credit but at the same time we have to stop letting people off the hook."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN, RDS, ESPN3

ABOUT THE ALOUETTES (2-2): Durant overcame two interceptions to finish with a season-high 296 yards and a touchdown pass to B.J. Cunningham in the win against Calgary. Nik Lewis continues to climb up the CFL record books as he caught three passes for 42 yards to leapfrog Ben Cahoon into sixth place on the league's all-time receiving yards list. Montreal focused on getting Tyrell Sutton involved in the offence early and often and it paid off as the former Northwestern Wildcat star rushed for 85 yards and a touchdown to take his league-leading total to 295 - 30 yards ahead of second-placed Jeremiah Johnson of the BC Lions.

ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (0-3-1): Trevor Harris completed 23-of-35 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown, but threw a backwards lateral that was picked up and returned for a touchdown in the loss against Edmonton. Greg Ellingson - who leads the league with 30 receptions - was held mostly in check as he caught five passes for 66 yards after averaging 8.5 receptions for 151.5 yards over his previous two games. Safety Antoine Pruneau suffered a neck/head injury in the first half against the Eskimos but returned later in the fourth quarter after exhibiting no signs of a concussion and is likely to play on Wednesday.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ottawa has won five of the last six meetings with Montreal.

2. The Alouettes defence has held four straight opponents to under 24 points.

3. Harris leads the CFL with eight touchdown passes.

PREDICTION: Redblacks 31, Alouettes 25