Saskatchewan Roughriders at B.C. Lions
Friday, 8 p.m., BC Place
TSN
THE FORECAST: Environment Canada is calling for a high of 17 C during the day in Vancouver with a 40-per-cent chance of rain. The night-time temperature is expected to be 10 C. There’s a chance the retractable roof at BC Place will be closed.
THE LOWDOWN: The Roughriders and Lions each are playing their second (and final) game of the 2017 CFL pre-season. Saskatchewan opened its exhibition slate with a 25-25 tie against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday. B.C. lost 23-18 to the Calgary Stampeders in its first pre-season game on June 6 … The contest will be the final chance for players on the bubble to impress coaches. The CFL’s roster deadline is Saturday at 8 p.m., Regina time.
THE RIDERS’ ROSTER: Quarterback Kevin Glenn didn’t play in the Roughriders’ first pre-season contest, so this will be his first (and only) game action before Saskatchewan opens the regular season June 22 against the host Montreal Alouettes … Glenn will start Friday’s game and is expected to get about a quarter and a half of playing time. Brandon Bridge, who started (and stole the show) against the Bombers, is slated to play next as Glenn’s primary backup. Bryan Bennett and Marquise Williams each could get a quarter of playing time in the second half … Roughriders guards Brendon LaBatte (ankle) and Josiah St. John (head) haven’t practised since the game against Winnipeg and won’t play in Vancouver. Peter Dyakowski will start at left guard in place of LaBatte, while rookie Dariusz Bladek has moved into St. John’s spot at right guard. Bladek, whom Saskatchewan selected in the second round (11th overall) of the May 7 draft, has looked right at home with the Roughriders … Saskatchewan got catches from 14 members of its receiving corps against the Bombers. The veterans likely will play more against B.C., but the rookies have been productive since Day 1 of training camp … Nationals Henoc Muamba and Mike Dubuisson both took reps at middle linebacker with the No. 1 defence this week … Two CFL rookies — former NFLer Crezdon Butler and rookie Mark Roberts — are manning the halfback and cornerback spots, respectively, on the field side of the Roughriders’ defence … Two of the more intriguing battles in camp were at punter and kicker. Sophomore Quinn van Gylswyk has been pushing both incumbent punter Josh Bartel and veteran kicker Tyler Crapigna, so someone could wind up getting the boot … Veterans LaBatte, Jonathan Newsome, Chad Owens, Rob Bagg and Spencer Moore are among the players who won’t dress for the Roughriders on Friday due to nagging injuries.
