HAMILTON - A triumphant return by Anthony Calvillo made Marc Trestman’s CFL head coaching debut a successful one.

Calvillo threw two TD strikes and became the second-leading passer in CFL history as the Montreal Alouettes battered the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-10 in the season opener for both clubs Thursday night.

Calvillo moved past Danny McManus (53,255 yards) late in the third quarter with a 22-yard completion to former Ticat Jason Armstead. On the following play, Calvillo hit Kerry Watkins with a 32-yard touchdown pass to make it 23-3 before a sparse Ivor Wynne Stadium gathering of 20,587.

Watkins had six catches for 102 yards and two TDs.

Calvillo, in his 15th CFL season and 11th with Montreal, finished a workmanlike 25-of-37 passing for 293 yards in his first game since leaving the Als late last season when his wife was diagnosed with a form of cancer. According to Calvillo, his wife is responding well to treatments and that has given him a new appreciation for being able to play football.

“It’s just one thing I’ve been looking forward to pretty much for the last three months because there was a point there where I wasn’t sure if I was going to come back,” he said. “It’s just a new appreciation not only for life but for football because I know I’m closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning and I want to go out a winner.”

Calvillo boosted his career total to 53,343 yards but has a ways to catch recently retired Damon Allen, who is pro football’s career passing leader with 72,381 yards.

“Yeah, that guy is a freak of nature,” Calvillo said. “He played for so many years and I honestly believe that number is untouchable.

“No. 2 is not too shabby. I’ll take it.”

Calvillo’s heroics made a winner of Montreal’s Marc Trestman in his CFL head coaching debut. Trestman was hired in the off-season to replace Jim Popp, who returned to his full-time duties as the Alouettes’ GM. Under Popp last year, the Als posted an 8-10-0 record, their first losing mark since returning to the CFL in 1996.

“I was excited and it would be unnatural not to have butterflies when you go into a competitive situation,” Trestman said. “But I don’t know that I look at it (first head coaching win) being any more or any less than the others.

“It’s undeniable that this is my first win as a head coach, but at the end of the day we have a long season. It’s a marathon, we all know it. It was a good start but we have a long, long way to go.”

Trestman said he wasn’t sure what to expect from Calvillo, who played little during the pre-season and also nursed an injured Achilles tendon.

“He hasn’t had a lot of reps,” Trestman said. “We tried to take care of him then he tweaked his Achilles a few weeks ago so he hasn’t had a lot of reps.

“I really didn’t know what to expect tonight, how we were going to come out and I just had no feel for it other than the guys have been working really hard.”

Despite Calvillo’s limited playing time, Montreal’s offence looked very sharp and precise. In prior years, Calvillo called his own game but this season Trestman is handling that job and Thursday called a solid game as the Alouettes rolled up 472 total yards and held the ball for nearly 38 minutes.

It was an inauspicious debut for the Ticats, who haven’t won a home or season opener since 2004. Hamilton finished with a league-worst 3-15 record last year and has missed the playoffs three straight seasons.

Hamilton struggled badly in the first quarter, first turning the ball over on downs (setting up a Montreal TD), then going two and out on its next offensive series. The Ticats didn’t record their initial first down until late in the first half and managed to muster a nice drive late in the second that resulted in a Nick Setta field goal to cut the Als’ half-time lead to 16-3.

Hamilton’s lone TD came on a 75-yard scamper by Tre Smith late in final quarter.

Starter Casey Printers had a decent outing, completing 15-of-21 passes for 203 yards and rushing three times for 33 yards. But he got little help from his supporting cast, was sacked three times and Hamilton had three turnovers, compared to none for Montreal.

But Printers took a philosophical approach when trying to explain Hamilton’s struggles.

“We turned the ball over, we did some things that are uncharacteristic of winners and we understand that,” Printers said. “But no one in this locker-room is hanging his head, nobody is going to get down because we understand there’s a bigger picture and it’s a process and we’ll be fine.

“We prepared as hard as we could. Guys are working, guys are staying late, guys are doing all the positive things that it takes for a winner to do. And I tell you what: We will turn the corner, there’s no doubt about it.”

Taaffe, however, wasn’t nearly as positive.

“It was the furthest thing from my mind … that we would go out and perform like we did,” Taaffe said. “I wish I had answers because it was very very disappointing.

“I don’t think we ever gave ourselves a chance. It is what it is, we didn’t play well. I’m very very disappointed.”

Avon Cobourne had Montreal’s other touchdown. Damon Duval booted four field goals and three converts.

Setta had a convert and field goal.

NOTES: The game marked the first time since ‘77 that the CFL season opened in Hamilton … The Ticats didn’t dress defensive back Jermaine Mays, running back Terry Cauley, offensive lineman Marko Cavka and receiver JoJo Walker. Montreal didn’t dress linebackers Reggie Hunt and Shawn Gallant, receiver Larry Taylor and defensive end Jermaine McElveen … The Alouettes were also minus slotback Ben Cahoon, running back Jarrett Payton and backup quarterback Marcus Brady, all of whom are on the injured list.