THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER -- Ian Smart swung momentum the B.C. Lions way by scoring on a 81-yard punt return and running back Joe Smith moved closer to tying a CFL record as the B.C. Lions dented the Edmonton Eskimos playoff hopes with a 37-26 win Saturday night.

Smith ran for 100 yards for the first time in three games and scored on a one-yard plunge in the third quarter to give him 18 rushing touchdowns on the season. That leaves him one short of the 19 rushing touchdowns Mike Pringle scored in 2000.

"The possibility is there," Smith, who had 104 yards on 17 carries, said about breaking Pringle's record. "But now that's the last thing on my mind.

"Right now we are in gut-check time. It's time to get to the playoffs and try and win the Grey Cup."

The soaring Lions have won six in a row. Conversely, the Eskimos have lost four straight and are watching their chance at a playoff berth slip away.

Smart's touchdown helped cool off an Eskimo offence that had got hot by scoring 10 points late in the first half to take a 18-17 lead into the dressing room.

"It came at a crucial time," said Lions defensive back Ryan Phillips, who made his CFL-leading 12th interception of the season. "It was a key play of the game and it was the big turnaround.

"It hurt them. It took their heart a little bit away."

Smart thrilled a crowd of 37,011 at B.C. Place Stadium the first time the Lions touched the ball in the third quarter. He took Sean Fleming's line-drive punt and sliced through the Eskimos. It was his first touchdown of the season off a kick.

"It felt great to get the monkey off my back," said Smart, who leads the league in combined yards. "Every week I'm close. That was a big weight lifted off my shoulders."

The night was a special teams nightmare for the Eskimos. Edmonton also had a punt blocked which resulted in a Lions touchdown.

"Special teams were terrible again tonight," sighed Fleming. "Those were 14 big points that we gave up. It's disappointing because overall we did a decent job tonight."

The loss dropped Edmonton's record to 5-10-1 and left them no room for error in the hunt for a playoff spot. The only way Edmonton can avoid missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season is to finish ahead of the Montreal Alouettes (7-9-0) and cross over to the East.

"We still have a chance," said Edmonton quarterback Steven Jyles, who was forced into action after starter Stefan LeFors was injured in the second quarter. "The odds, they're not for us but they're not 100 per cent against."

The Lions improved to 12-3-1. B.C. can clinch first place and host the West final if Saskatchewan loses to Hamilton Sunday..

B.C. held a 13-point lead early in the third quarter but the Eskimos refused to roll over, drawing to within five points at one time. The Lions defence came up big late in the game with a pair of crucial sacks to give them six on the night.

"I knew they were going to give us their best effort," said Phillips. "A lot guys over there are playing for contracts next year. They had an urge to play hard tonight."

B.C. quarterback Jarious Jackson threw a 54-yard bomb to Paris Jackson and hit backup defensive end Ricky Foley with a 16-yard touchdown pass.

Foley's touchdown was set up by the blocked a punt.

Jackson completed 10 of 17 passes for 143 yards before he left the game at halftime with sore ribs. He was replaced by Buck Pierce who was good on 11 of 16 passes for 116 yards.

LeFors, playing for the injured Ricky Ray, threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to slotback Jason Tucker. He was five of five for 81 yards before being forced out of the game in the second quarter after taking a knee to the back of the head.

Jyles completed 10 of 21 passes for 113 yards and scored on a one-yard run. He also threw the interception.

Paul McCallum had field goals of 42, 36 and 32 yards for the Lions.

Fleming hit on field goals of 41, 29 and 20. The Eskimos also scored a safety.

The game wrapped up a home-and-home series. The Lions won last week's game in Edmonton 24-18.

Notes --On the Lions first touchdown Paris Jackson was given an objectionable conduct penalty for making a throat-slashing gesture when celebrating the catch. ... B.C. defensive tackle Tyrone Williams made his 100th consecutive start as a Lion. ...Phillips's 12 interceptions ties a Lions franchise record.