Maas Seeks Better Start as Argonauts Vs Alouettes Opens Friday
argonauts vs alouettes opens Montreal’s home schedule Friday at 7 p.m. at Molson Stadium, where the Alouettes are trying to change the way their season starts in front of their own crowd. After going 4-5 at home last season, Jason Maas said the team wants to start on the right foot and carry that through the year.
Maas and Molson Stadium
“We’ve had a lot of close losses at home that could have gone one way or the other, and our record would have looked different,” Maas said, pointing to two one-point losses against B.C. and Edmonton last season. He added, “It’s about making plays and doing the little things right. At home the past couple of years, we haven’t done that as well. We want to start on the right foot this year and continue that trend throughout the season.”
That message lands with a team that has already shown it can stack wins. Montreal opened 2025 with three straight victories before Davis Alexander suffered a hamstring injury, and the quarterback returned last Thursday to throw for 336 yards and two touchdowns in an overtime win at Hamilton.
Davis Alexander’s run
Alexander’s numbers give Montreal a clear edge entering Toronto’s visit. He improved his regular-season record to 12-0 with the win at Hamilton and is 2-0 against the Argonauts in regular-season games. After the game, he brushed off the attention around that streak, saying, “They probably won’t stop bringing up (the record) until we lose a regular-season game.”
He also kept the focus on the task ahead. “We’re here to win games; that’s our job,” Alexander said, adding, “Whenever we’re out there, we always believe we have a chance, no matter what the score is.”
Montreal’s discipline test
The home opener arrives with one clear friction point from last week still fresh. Montreal took 10 penalties for 113 yards in the first half against Hamilton, then settled down after halftime and committed only one five-yard time-count violation.
Maas did not hide his reaction to the lapse. “There was a lot said by everybody. It wasn’t just one person,” he said. “The whole team was frustrated.” He also made the standard plain: “We want to lead the league in the least amount of penalties.”
That issue has to be addressed while Montreal deals with roster losses. Receiver Cole Spieker and centre Justin Lawrence have been placed on the six-game injured list with ankle injuries, tailback Travis Theis has practised and will start, linebacker Najee Murray will be out with a foot injury, and linebacker Tyrice Beverette did not practise this week and is listed on the roster.
Fans can expect the same core story Friday: a home crowd, a quarterback who has not lost a regular-season game, and a team still trying to turn Molson Stadium into a steadier place to bank wins. The game is set to air on TSN3, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, and 99.5 FM.
