HAMILTON, Ont. -- Brandon Banks returned two punts for touchdowns to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 40-24 in the East Division final Sunday.

Banks had an 88-yard TD return with 4:05 left in the fourth quarter, an amazing outcome considering Banks was completely surrounded by Montreal defenders after corralling Sean Whyte's kick. But the five-foot-seven 153-pound speedster -- whose nickname is Speedy -- somehow found a seam, then sprinted along the sidelines to put Hamilton ahead 37-24.

Banks had an 93-yard TD return earlier in the game and also took another back 78 yards for touchdown that was called back by a holding penalty. He returned five punts for a playoff-record 226 yards.

The win, which improved Hamilton's record at Tim Hortons Field to 7-0, delighting the enthusiastic sellout crowd of 24,334 on a balmy 11 C afternoon.

The victory was especially sweet for a Ticats squad that held its tongue last week as Montreal players Duron Carter, Bear Woods and S.J Green all publicly stated the Alouettes would emerge victorious. Hamilton beat the Alouettes 29-15 at Tim Hortons Field to clinch first in the East and home-field advantage for the division final.

The Ticats will face either the Calgary Stampeders or Edmonton Eskimos in the Grey Cup on Nov. 30 at B.C. Place. Hamilton hasn't won a CFL title since 1999.

Hamilton controlled the play against the 15 km/h wind and two Nic Grigsby rushing TDs came following interceptions against Montreal's Jonathan Crompton, who had three picks to fall to 9-3 as the club's starter. The Alouettes were looking to return to the Grey Cup for the first time since winning it in 2010.

Crompton cut Hamilton's lead to 27-24 with a 63-yard TD strike to S.J. Green -- the receiver's third score of the game -- early in the fourth quarter. Collaros, in his first CFL playoff start, countered by marching Hamilton downfield for Justin Medlock's 42-yard field goal at 9:32.

Banks then cemented the contest with his second punt return touchdown.

Grigsby's three-yard TD run at 8:50 of the third put Hamilton ahead 27-14. It was set up by Erik Harris's interception, with an unnecessary roughness call on Carter put the Ticats' on the Montreal 38.

Medlock had three converts and four field goals. Whyte, meanwhile, booted three converts and a field goal.

Banks' electrifying 93-yard punt return TD earned Hamilton a 20-13 halftime advantage in an eventful opening half. He meticulously weaved his way through Montreal's coverage team at 14:34 as the Ticats scored 17 points with the wind.

Banks, who had 165 total yards in the first half, scored after Medlock hit from 20 yards out at 13:40 to cut Montreal's advantage to 14-13.

Crompton's nine-yard TD strike to Green at 10:10 of the second gave Montreal a 14-10 lead on a drive that had just about everything. The 11-play, 85-yard scoring march was aided by a successful pass interference challenge on Hamilton's Delvin Breaux on receiver Duron Carter that turned a third-and-27 situation into first down at the Ticats' 31-yard line for the Als.

It came after Grigsby's five-yard run at 3:51, which gave Hamilton a 10-7 advantage. The drive was set up by Breaux's interception and return to the Montreal 20-yard line.

But the first half was one of missed chances for the Ticats, who also had a promising four-play, 68-yard drive erased by a Collaros fumble that was recovered by Mike Edem at the Alouettes' 13-yard line. Green' 22-yard TD catch at 7:41 of the first opened the scoring before Medlock connected from 32 yards out at 13:09.

Notes: Offensive lineman Marc Dile and receiver Giovanni Aprile didn't dress for Hamilton. Defensive lineman Corvey Irvin and defensive back Jamahl Knowles were Montreal's scratches ... During the regular season, Hamilton opponents converted just 28 per cent of their second-down opportunities at Tim Hortons Field . . . With CFL commissioner Mark Cohon in Calgary for the West Division final, league COO Michael Copeland performed the opening coin toss.