HAMILTON - Kevin Glenn and the Montreal Alouettes started fast and left the Toronto Argonauts reeling Friday night.

Glenn threw three TD passes, his first capping a 71-yard game-opening drive, leading Montreal to a convincing 34-2 win over Toronto at Tim Hortons Field.

Glenn was impressive in just his second start for Montreal (6-10), which snapped a four-game losing streak to remain in contention for the final West Division playoff spot with Winnipeg and B.C. Glenn had three interceptions in last weekend's 23-11 loss to Hamilton but was 27-of-35 passing for 294 yards before giving way to Anthony Boone in the fourth quarter.

Time, Glenn said, was a major reason for his turnaround. Montreal, which took a commanding 25-2 half-time lead, obtained the veteran quarterback from Saskatchewan at the CFL trade deadline Oct, 14.

"You get another couple of days familiarity with the players, with the receivers, with the offence and you just get into a groove," Glenn said. "I think the positive atmosphere on the sidelines was another key thing.

"Everybody was up on the sidelines, the offence was cheering the defence on, the defence was cheering the offence on."

Glenn and the Als were sharp right from the start, his six-yard scoring strike to Tyrell Sutton capping an impressive eight-play march to open the contest.

"If you can take the opening drive 80 yards and score, especially a touchdown, that's starting pretty fast," Glenn said. "It was one of those things we talked about, if we get the ball first we want to come out and show what we're about.

"That was a big drive to open the game line that, it was big for us."

Montreal coach/GM Jim Popp agreed.

"The four losses we had we gave up a touchdown in three of those and then a field goal," he said. "We were playing (from) behind and as the stats show we only scored 15 points total in the first half of those four games.

"It makes a huge difference if you can start positively, especially on the road."

Just 3,741 spectators attended the contest, relocated from Rogers Centre because of the baseball playoffs. Once again, all the spectators sat in the East stands as TV cameras shot the action from the West section.

Only 3,401 watched the Calgary Stampeders dispatch Toronto 27-15 last weekend at Tim Hortons Field.

Montreal earned its second road win in Hamilton, snapping the Ticats' 10-game home win streak Aug. 27 with a 26-23 victory. Glenn said the Alouettes showed Friday night they're a playoff-calibre team.

"Most definitely," he said. "If the defence comes out and plays the way it played (Friday) and as an offence we can do what we can do, I think this team is a real contender.

"This team is a playoff team, all we have to do is solidify it and win enough games to get in."

Toronto (9-7) suffered its second straight loss at Tim Hortons Field and fell to 0-5 here since it opened last year. The Argos have clinched an East Division playoff spot but remain tied with Ottawa (9-6) for second, with the Redblacks visiting Winnipeg on Saturday.

"I think we need to dwell on what happened tonight, which was a team that didn't show up," Argos coach Scott Milanovich said matter of factly. "Coaches didn't show up and that's what happens when you don't show up."

Toronto starter Trevor Harris was 11-of-14 passing for 102 yards and an interception before being replaced by veteran Ricky Ray in the fourth. Ray was 12 of 15 for 94 yards in his first action of the season since having off-season shoulder surgery, his initial pass being a 19-yard completion to Kevin Elliott.

Ray also had a six-yard TD strike to Elliott nullified by off-setting interference penalties with six seconds remaining.

Milanovich wouldn't say who'll start Friday when Toronto hosts the B.C. Lions. But a visibly dejected Harris gave the impression he'll be the one on the sidelines.

"I want to keep battling, I want to keep fighting," he said. "But if they make a move, I'll be behind coach Milanovich no matter what."

Sutton scored two TDs while Brandon Rutley and Fred Stamps had the others for Montreal. Bede booted three converts, two field goals and a single as the Als outgained Toronto in first downs (27-16), net yards (399-273) and sacks (five to one).

What's more, Toronto's lone points came on a safety.

"They came to play, they were hungrier than us," Milanovich said. "We didn't match their energy level.

"They're playing for a playoff game, we're playing to get the bye. It shouldn't have been a situation where we were unmotivated, like we didn't have anything to play for."