THE CANADIAN PRESS

CALGARY -- Two CFL teams heading in different directions meet Friday at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

The Calgary Stampeders (9-4) have won four straight to move into first place in the West Division. The host Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) have lost three in a row and are tied in second place with the B.C. Lions.

Friday's game and the rematch Oct. 13 in Calgary have huge playoff implications for both clubs. Each has just three regular-season games remaining after this series and only two points separate them.

The Stamps can secure a playoff berth with a victory Friday, but they will also do so if the Toronto Argonauts lose to B.C. earlier in the evening.

Calgary wants to tighten its grip on the No. 1 ranking in the division because finishing first means a bye to the Western final in the post-season.

"They mean everything," Stamps quarterback Henry Burris said of his team's next two games. "We fought hard to get into this position all season long and now we're here and we're trying to do something that we've set out for ourselves.

"Now we're playing against the team who are the defending Grey Cup champions and if you want to be a champion you've got to beat the champ."

It was Calgary who ended Saskatchewan's unbeaten run at six wins to start the season. Since the Stamps' 30-25 victory Aug. 7 at Mosaic Stadium, the Roughriders have just two wins in their last seven games.

Saskatchewan is riddled with injuries to key players, including CFL leading rusher Wes Cates.

"I'm not going to feel sorry for the defending champion," Calgary defensive tackle Eddie Freeman said. "They're the defending champion and they're going to have the heart of a champion.

"You play a wounded dog, you know how they're going to fight you. They're going to fight you to the end."

The Roughriders' offence will look different to the Stamps than it did in their last meeting as Saskatchewan acquired quarterback Michael Bishop in a trade with Toronto on Aug. 23.

Head coach Ken Miller intends to start Bishop on Friday even though the pivot struggled mightily in the first half and didn't throw a touchdown pass in a 37-12 loss to Montreal on Sunday. Miller left Bishop in for the duration of that game.

Cates is expected to miss his second straight game because of a lower leg injury. Miller told Regina reporters this week Cates was "doubtful" for Friday.

"Whoever the running back is, you have to stop that play," Calgary coach John Hufnagel said. "As far as the defence is concerned, you still have to stop the same plays in the playbook."

Without Cates, the Roughriders managed only 35 rushing yards against Montreal and their passing game ranks at the bottom end of the league. If their offence looks in disarray, their defence doesn't. The Roughriders are the best in the league at defending the pass.

"We expect those guys to come out and fly around like they've been doing," said Burris, adding that he doesn't plan a more conservative air attack because of that.

"We're an aggressive passing team and we go out there to work our craft despite who is on that field."

Calgary starters sidelined include safety Wes Lysak (ankle), offensive lineman Jeff Pilon (shoulder) and defensive end Mike Labinjo (foot). Hufnagel said Keon Raymond will start at safety.

The Stamps piped noise over McMahon Stadium's public address system at practice this week to simulate the din they expect in Regina. Burris, who left the Roughriders in 2004 after three seasons there, expects much of it to be aimed at him.

"Pretty much all of it will be," Burris said with a grin. "The boo-birds will be out and the watermelon (hats) out in full effect, but our job is to go out and withstand that and do our best to take them out of the game."

Hufnagel doesn't put a lot of stock in momentum even though his team, coming off a 44-16 win over Toronto on Saturday, has it and Saskatchewan has none.

"Each game is a book by itself," Hufnagel said. "We're going to their house and we know what we're going to be facing. It's going to be a fun night. The stadium is going to be full and loud and that's the way CFL games should be."

Notes: Saskatchewan defensive co-ordinator Ron Estay is receiving treatment for cancer in his abdomen. Assistant defensive coach Gary Etcheverry is filling in. . . . Calgary is 7-5-1 against the Roughriders in Regina since 2000 . . . The Stampeders announced Thursday less than 1,000 tickets remain for the Oct. 13 game against Saskatchewan at McMahon.