Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- Anthony Calvillo showed no effects from off-season thyroid surgery as the Montreal quarterback delivered three touchdown passes and the Alouettes began their defence of the Grey Cup with a 30-26 victory over the BC Lions in the opening game of the CFL season on Thursday night.

Jamel Richardson, with two, and S.J. Green caught TD passes and former Lion Sean Whyte added three field goals for the two-time defending champion Montreal.

Akeem Foster had a touchdown, Tim Brown returned a punt for a TD and Paul McCallum had four field goals for the Lions.

Despite two top teams and cool but comfortable summer night, Percival Molson Stadium was not full. The crowd was announced at 22,317 for the 25,012-seat facility, the first time Montreal has not sold out since June 25, 2002, which was also against BC. It ended a string of 105 straight sellouts.

The Alouettes dominated the opening half, but were held to one field goal in the second by a stingy BC defence.

Calvillo went for the long ball, hitting Green for a 51-yard score on 3:21 into the game and added TD tosses of 40 and 46 yards to Richardson in the second quarter. He is now only five short of tying Damon Allen's career record of 394 career TD passes. The 18-year veteran began the game only 4,200 yards short of Allen's career passing yards mark.

Travis Lulay was effective moving the ball upfield for BC, but many drives stalled in Montreal territory, mainly from overthrown passes.

The Lions got the ball to the Montreal two-yard line on their opening drive of the second half, but Jarious Jackson came in at QB and was sacked. Lulay then just missed Nick Moore in the end zone. They settled for a field goal.

Seven minutes later, Brown zig-zagged untouched up the middle to return a punt 97 yards for a TD to cut the Montreal lead to seven points.

The teams traded field goals and the Lions had chances, but manged only one last McCallum placement.

Tailback Brandon Whitaker, replacing Avon Cobourne who signed with Hamilton, had a big game, rushing for 118 yards on 15 carries.

The Alouettes lost a key veteran early in the game when defensive back Jerald Brown was carted off to hospital with a suspected broken right ankle. Jeff Hecht, signed as an undrafted free agent in May from St. Mary's, took over that spot.

Hecht delivered an early candidate for hit of the year when he levelled Jon Hameister-Ries during a missed field goal return in the second quarter.