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CALGARY - Players on both sides of the football look to either establish or re-establish themselves as impact players in the CFL when the Calgary Stampeders host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday. Calgarys Bo Levi Mitchell and Montreals Troy Smith will be the starting quarterbacks in a CFL season-opener for the first time in their careers. Both want to reinforce their No. 1 status. You can watch the game live in the first half of a doubleheader on TSN and TSN GO at 3:00pm et/Noon pt. or listen to the game live on TSN Radio 690 Montreal. Former NFL star Chad Johnson will begin the revival of his football career as an Alouettes receiver. Prominent Stampeder receiver Nik Lewis is back after missing over half of last season with a broken leg. The 32-year-old slotback feels he has something to prove. The sentiment can also apply to Tom Higgins, who returns as a CFL head coach with Montreal after six years working as the leagues director of officiating. His last coaching stint was with the Stampeders from 2005 to 2007 and Calgarys record in his final season was 7-10-1. Its serendipitous his first game back will be at McMahon. "When you think about, why not?" Higgins said Friday. "I knew how to get here. The bus driver went the wrong way and I said no, no, you make a right here." Theres also players still feeling out their new teams such as Josh Bell, a former Lion who will make his Stampeder debut at starting safety Saturday. "I want to see how we adjust really when we have success and when we dont have success," Bell said. "How do we adjust? Thats the biggest thing in football." The Stampeders topped the CFL with a 14-4 record last season, but were upset 35-13 at home in the West Division final by the eventual Grey Cup champion Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Montreal Alouettes went 8-10 and lost 19-16 in the East semifinal to Hamilton. Star quarterback Anthony Calvillo missed the final 10 games of the season with a concussion and subsequently retired in the off-season. Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner with Ohio State, got a crash course in CFL football going 2-1 to conclude the season. "What you do know about Troy is he brings a level of leadership, he has a very strong arm and hopefully he has a cast around him that he doesnt have to carry the football team," Higgins said. "If we do our job properly, hopefully we can spread that football around enough that he doesnt always feel he has to be on top of his game for us to win." Mitchell won his three starts and came off the bench to win another in 2014. Stampeders coach and general manager John Hufnagel handed the 24-year-old the ball for the opener, but indicated he could have just as easily given it to Drew Tate. "It was a photo finish between he and Drew," Hufnagel said. "I said earlier in the week when I made the decision both quarterbacks will play football for us this year. It just so happens Bo is getting the first start." "He has earned the opportunity to play. Hes won every game hes played as a Calgary Stampeder, so thats not a bad track record." Both Mitchell and Smith recognize opportunities to be a CFL starter are limited and they must perform to earn more. "Every game, every play, every snap, every rep is concreting or cementing who you are," Smith said. Added Mitchell: "Now that Ive been given the job, Im going to make sure I keep it, run with it and have a lot of fun." Lewis broke his fibula Aug. 17 and did not play again in 2013. It was the first time in a decade as a Stampeder he was unable to produce over 1,000 receiving yards. Lewis was annoyed Friday that hed been made a designated international for Saturday, which could limit the slotbacks playing time because he cant replace a Canadian on the field. "I dont make these decisions. I just play football," Lewis said. "In this business, its what have you done lately. Last year, I wasnt able to play, so Ive got to continue to go out and get better and prove that I can play. "Ive never had an injury like I had last year, so I am so motivated to get back on the field and just show it is possible. Maybe Week 1, well unleash the beast." Stampeder offensive lineman Dan Federkeil will sit out Saturdays game. He took a hit to the neck in practice this week and has had a concussion before. Hufnagel wants to be cautious with the Medicine Hat, Alta., native. So with internationals Stanley Bryant and Edwin Harrison both suiting up on the offensive line, Hufnagel said "it disrupted our ratio a little bit." "I had to make one of our receivers the DI," Hufnagel explained. "Nik will be the DI, but were still going to have three on the field and they all are going to have their roles. Its not like Nik wont be playing the game." Lewis is considered one of the CFLs colourful, and at times controversial, players. Montreals Johnson could join him in that category. The six-time Pro Bowler and one-time "Dancing With the Stars" contestants Twitter posts often include "sensitive material" warnings. He changed surname to Ochocinco in 2008 only to return to Chad Johnson in 2012. He spent 10 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, but hasnt played a game since 2011. The 36-year-old wide receiver wasnt among the handful of Alouettes available to the media at McMahon on Friday. Smith indicated Johnson is still adjusting to the Canadian game. "Chads OK, man hes done great," the quarterback said. "Hes accepting the different nuances of the game and tried to perfect them the best he could, but his backbone and his foundation will be guys like S.J. Green, guys like Duron Carter and guys like Brandon Whitaker who can give him the ins and outs . . . on things he can do during the game if hes not feeling too up to par with whats going on. "We have an incredible group of veteran guys who do nothing but help tremendously and Ive relied on them also." Wholesale Shoes From China . -- Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend. Wholesale Shoes Brands . The traditional pre-Masters event was halted early due to inclement weather. Harrington, who tied for first in 2003 and won in 2004, became the first three-time champion of the event. http://www.wholesaleshoes.us.org/ . The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 31 - February 1, 2014, and features 39 teams from 10 countries, in senior, junior, and novice. Cheap Replica Shoes China . And on Sunday against the Houston Astros they were pleased to see his work finally pay off with his first win since May 24. Wholesale Shoes 2020 .DeMarco Murray got his 20th carry late in the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, not long after Dez Bryant made his final catch of the day.Sure enough, a 44-17 win over Washington didnt change Dallas post-season position.SAN JOSE, Calif. - Antoine Vermette scored in the opening minute and then got the game winner in the shootout to lift the Phoenix Coyots to a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night. Mikkel Boedker also scored for the Coyotes (10-3-2), who have points in 11 of their last 12 games. Joe Pavelski and Danny Boyle, who missed the previous seven games with a concussion, scored for the Sharks (10-1-3). Logan Couture converted the first attempt of the shootout for San Jose. He earlier thought he had the winning goal with 33 seconds left in regulation. However, it was waved off and replays clearly showed the puck never crossed the line. It was just one of many brilliant saves made by Mike Smith, who stopped 48 shots through overtime. Sharks goalie Antti Niemi made 28 saves. Radim Vrbata also scored in the shootout for Phoenix. Phoenix peppered Niemi with seven shots during the 5-minute overtime, with Niemi coming up big. The Sharks had some chances but did not get a shot on goal. The Coyotes scored just 36 seconds into the game. Rob Klinkhammer picked up a loose puck along the boards near the blue line and fed Vermette, who beat Niemi to the far post. Pavelskis goal came just over a minute into the second period, tying the score at 1..dddddddddddd Tommy Wingels won a scrum in the Sharks zone and sent it up the ice to Matthew Nieto, who missed the previous two games with an injury. Pavelski took the pass and skated in, looked off Smith and found an opening to the near side. The Sharks took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal four minutes later. Pavelskis shot was blocked and the Coyotes couldnt clear it and Thornton kicked it back out to Pavelski, who found Boyle on the left side. Boyle put it into the upper far corner. Boedker took a pass from Derek Morris midway through the second period and slipped it along the ice to the far side to tie the score at 2. NOTES: Sharks C Joe Thornton recorded his 800th career assist on Boyles goal. ... Coyotes C Mike Ribeiro played in his 800th career game. ... Boedker ended a three-game scoreless streak. ... Vermette has scored goals in consecutive games. He did not record a point in his previous four. ... Morris has recorded points in eight of his last 11 games. ... The Coyotes are outscoring their opponents 22-15 in the second period. ... Pavelski has scored goals in three straight. ... The Sharks have taken 50 or more shots in both home games against the Coyotes this year. ... Vrbata improved to 32 of 73 on penalty shots. ' ' '