It was an exciting game, but the defending Gray Cup champions, the Alouettes, were defeated by the Toronto Argonauts in the East final on Saturday at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in downtown Montreal.

The final score is 30-28 for the Argonauts, meaning they are headed to the 111th Gray Cup to be held on November 17 in Vancouver.

Alouettes fans remain proud of their team despite the loss.

“It’s been my team for, say, 35 years,” said Alouettes fan Pascal Laviolette. “I’m still my team.”

“We were sure we were expecting the win,” one Montreal resident said after the game. “You hope for the best, but it’s hard to walk away with a loss.”

“Amazing start,” said another fan. “This is disappointing in a way, because I followed them religiously, as I have for the last 30 years.”

“I love my Alouettes and this was the year we could have shown the rest of the league that we are not a joke.”

The Argonauts took revenge.

The Alouettes, who were considered the underdogs last season, defeated Toronto in last year’s East Division final.

The fans of both teams came to Saturday’s game with a lot of energy.

“It’s over for the Alouettes,” said Argonauts fan Frank Tank.

“We’re very confident,” added Rick Bowes. “But last year we got hit a lot.”

“This year it’s going the other way,” Dave Macdonald said.

The Alouettes’ victory last season was their eighth Gray Cup overall and first since 2010.

It is known as “The Big Eight”; this season’s mantra was “Grind for Nine.”

As for the Argonauts, they will now face the winner of Saturday’s West final: will it be the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or the Saskatchewan Roughriders?

“They played a good game for us,” added another Alouettes fan. “Never lose hope.”