Brier return starts Saturday

It all begins on Saturday.

That’s when Brad Jacobs and his team from Soo Curlers will be at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary to open the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier against Team Quebec, skipped by Jean-Michel Menard.

Jacobs, along with third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden will play just the single draw on opening day in a 3:30 p.m. (Sault time) start before a pair of games on day two.

In draw three at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Team Jacobs will face Alberta’s Kevin Koe before meeting British Columbia’s Jim Cotter in draw four at 3:30 p.m.

Though the tournament begins on Saturday, a trio of pre-qualifying games are on the schedule to get things started. P.E.I., Yukon and Nova Scotia play in the pre-qualifying round with the winner grabbing the final Brier spot.

P.E.I. and Yukon opened the pre-qualifying round on Thursday night.

Yukon will face Nova Scotia in Friday morning’s pre-qualifying match while Nova Scotia will meet P.E.I. in the afternoon draw. The two teams with the best records will face in the first official Brier draw on Saturday afternoon

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2015 TIM HORTONS BRIER TEAMS

Alberta: Kevin Koe
British Columbia: Jim Cotter
Manitoba: Reid Carruthers
New Brunswick: Jeremy Mallais
Newfoundland & Labrador: Brad Gushue
Northern Ontario: Brad Jacobs
Northwest Territories: Jamie Koe
Nova Scotia: Glen MacLeod
Ontario: Mark Kean
Quebec: Jean-Michel Menard
Saskatchewan: Steve Laycock
Team Canada: John Morris
P.E.I.: Adam Casey
Yukon: Bob Smallwood

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NOTHERN ONTARIO SCHEDULE

Feb. 28 vs. Quebec (3:30 p.m.)
Mar. 1 vs. Alberta (10:30 a.m.) and BC (3:30 p.m.)
Mar. 2 vs. Northwest Territories (3:30 p.m.) and Ontario (8:30 p.m.)
Mar. 3 vs. British Columbia (10:30 a.m.) and qualifier (3:30 p.m.
Mar. 4 vs. New Brunswick (10:30 a.m.) and Saskatchewan (3:30 p.m.)
Mar. 5 vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (10:30 a.m.) and Team Canada (8:30 p.m.)

All times are Sault Ste. Marie times.