MONTREAL - If the Montreal Alouettes really are better than their 8-10 regular season record, now is the time to show it. Nikola Vucevic Magic Jersey . The team that finished third in the CFL East Division will get that chance Sunday when they face the second-place Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East semifinal in Guelph, Ont. "Youre only as good as your record shows, but in our locker-room, we feel we are better than our record," linebacker Chip Cox said Thursday. "We know we still have to get better at some things and that we have to work to win games. "Theyre not going to just happen for us. But we feel were just as good as anybody." Voters for the CFL awards seem to agree. They elected nine Alouettes, more than any team in the division, to the East all-star squad. Coach and general manager Jim Popp has said repeatedly his team had talent that could easily have finished 12-6 if not for some discipline problems early in the season and lots of turnovers and mistakes. There was also the carousel at quarterback after Anthony Calvillo was injured in August that saw Josh Neiswander, Tanner Marsh and, finally, Troy Smith take turns as the starting pivot. Between the four of them, they threw a league-high 28 interceptions. And there was the upheaval of starting the season with coach Dan Hawkins, only to see him fired after five games while Popp took over at the bench. The Alouettes hope the final third of the season, in which they went 4-2, gives them momentum going into the playoffs. Winning in the post-season would erase a load of bad memories from the regular season. "You go 3-0 in the playoffs and no one remembers how we started, right?" said Cox. "Thats the goal now. "We go 3-0 and everybody forgets about this, that and the other thing. Theyll say the Alouettes are the best team in the CFL. Again." It will be the third time in the last four games that Montreal and Hamilton have met. The Alouettes dominated 36-5 at home on Oct. 20 and were up 16-0 six days later in Guelph when turnovers and a spirited Hamilton comeback gave the Ticats a 27-24 win. Montreal ended the season with a 23-20 win in Toronto last Friday, but the Argonauts had benched many of their key players. The first-place Argos have a bye to the East final. Since winning consecutive Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010, Montreal has not won a playoff game. They lost an East semifinal to Hamilton at home in 2011 and lost the division final at home to Toronto last year. Their last East semifinal away from home was a 24-22 loss in Winnipeg in 2007 during Popps last stint as coach. "Nine all-stars is great but weve got to win," said defensive back Jerald Brown. "Were focused on winning. "The only way we can prove people right is by winning. No matter what people say, if were better than what our record is, then we should show that this week. Thats what will settle that score." Its not even a real home game for Hamilton, who are playing in Guelph this season while work is done on their home ground. "I dont care where we play," added Brown. "Were going to have to play in Saskatchewan (in the Grey Cup game) and thats going to be tough. "There are no excuses. We were at home the last two years and lost." The Alouettes defence led the CFL in several statistical categories, including fewest yards per game, fewest rushing yards and fewest first downs allowed. So its no surprise that six of their nine all-stars are on defence. They include Cox, Brown, defensive back Billy Parker, cornerback Geoff Tisdale, safety Mike Edem and defensive end John Bowman, to go with guard Josh Bourke, receiver S.J. Green and kicker Sean Whyte. Cox is also the East nominee for outstanding defensive player after setting a team record of 115 tackles and leading the squad in sacks with 12. "He deserves it and I hope he wins it," said Brown. "He was supposed to get it in 2010, but hes valuable for our defence. "If you look at his stats — tackles, interceptions, sacks — he makes a lot of plays." The defence could be missing a key linebacker as Kyries Hebert missed practice for a second day with a suspected knee injury. Popp is hoping he will be able to practise on Friday to see if he is fit to play. Hebert had 68 tackles and nine sacks. Cornerback Byron Parker is highly doubtful to play with a groin injury, while receiver Eric Deslauriers is out with a cracked rib. Dwight Howard Magic Jersey . -- Pelicans coach Monty Williams does not expect guard Eric Gordon to play in any of New Orleans final five games this season. Grant Hill Jersey . For the Miami Heat, that was outstanding news. LeBron James scored the last of his 32 points on a layup that put Miami up for good with 11. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-grant-hill-magic-jersey/ .ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal.LA PLAGNE, France -- Canadian skicross star Marielle Thompson capped her dream season in style Sunday by winning her second career Crystal Globe. Thompson, who won Olympic gold last month at the Sochi Games, edged Fanny Smith of Switzerland to win the final World Cup of the season and the overall title. "Once I was in the gate I was in my zone and comfortable," Thompson said on a conference call. "I just focused on what I needed to do. I think thats the way to do it." The Canadian entered the competition with a slim five-point lead on Smith in the World Cup overall standings. Thompson fell behind her main rival in the final before executing a dramatic pass to move in front to stay. "I knew that everything came down to that last run down the course so it was pretty intense, especially being behind out of the gate and having to make that pass," Thompson said. "It was probably one of the most exciting moments for me in a long while on the skicross course. "It was really great for me to make that pass. Its not very fun skiing behind people. I like skiing in front." Smith settled for silver and Georgia Simmerling of West Vancouver, B.C., won bronze. Calgarys Brady Leman won bronze in the mens race. Jean Frederic Chapuis of France won gold and Austrias Christoph Wahrstoetter took the silver. "I think I made more finals than any other guy this year," Leman said. "They didnt really go my way and I didnt have my best skiing when I made it to the medal rounds and when it really counts. I know Im there and I know Ive been super-competitive every week thhis year which is good because thats something that Ive struggled with in the past. Dwight Howard Jersey. "But you always want more so I know what Ive got to focus on this summer at least anyway." Leman reached the final at the Olympics but just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish. Thompson led a 1-2 Canadian finish in the womens final at Sochi with teammate Kelsey Serwa. "The main goal this year was the Olympics and once I realized that goal I had to refocus and think about the Globe," said Thompson. "In the final (Sunday) I needed to be patient. I waited for the right moment (to pass) and it happened to be near the end. "I nailed the big super-G turn and I was able to move past her." Thompson, from Whistler, B.C., became the first Canadian to win a skicross Crystal Globe in 2012. The 21-year-old won this seasons overall title with 755 points. "Im just really happy that I could realize all my goals and not really disappoint myself," she said. Smith was second with 730 points and Ophelie David of France was third with 572 points. Swedens Victor Oehling Norberg won the mens Crystal Globe with 494 points. Andreas Matt of Austria was second with 482 points and Germanys Daniel Bohnacker was third with 399 points. Dave Duncan of London, Ont., was leading the World Cup rankings when he was injured during the qualification round at the last World Cup stop in Are, Sweden. He missed his last three races and settled for sixth overall. Switzerland won the Nations Cup for the second straight year with 2,261 points. Canada was second with 2,154 points. ' ' '