Harnden scores second win at the Brier

NEWS RELEASES

CANADIAN CURLING ASSOCIATION

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Three-way Tie for First at Tim Hortons Brier HAMILTON -- Manitoba, Ontario and NWT/Yukon head into Day 4 of the Tim Horton’s Brier tied for first at 4-1.

Manitoba joined the other two teams atop the standings here at Copps Coliseum Monday night with a 6-4 win over Quebec’s Pierre Charette.

In other games on Draw 8, Northern Ontario’s Al Harnden defeated New Brunswick’s Paul Dobson 7-6; BC’s Dean Joanisse beat Nova Scotia’s Mark Kehoe 6-4 and Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue came from behind to beat Saskatchewan’s Pat Simmons 10-8.

Simmons, who was 3-1 heading into Monday night, appeared to have control of his game with Gushue, leading 6-4 heading into the eighth end. But after a series of mishaps, Gushue found himself needing only to hit paint with the last rock of the eighth end to pick up what proved to be a decisive four-ender. Gushue sealed the deal with a deuce in an extra end.

Stoughton, on the other hand, jumped all over Quebec early, stealing two in the first end and then one more in the second to jump out to a 3-0 lead from which he’d never look back.

Saskatchewan, BC and Alberta are all a game behind the leaders at 3-2 heading into Tuesday morning’s draw. Nova Scotia, Quebec, Newfoundland and Northern Ontario are all at 2-3, followed by PEI at 1-4 and New Brunswick at 0-5.

The Brier resumes Tuesday morning when Quebec plays Nova Scotia, Yukon/NWT plays Northern Ontario, Ontario plays Saskatchewan and New Brunswick plays Manitoba.

Alberta, PEI, BC and Newfoundland all have byes on Draw 9. ***********************

Ontario, NWT/Yukon Handed First Losses

HAMILTON -- And then there were none.

The final two undefeated teams remaining in the 12-team field here at the Tim Hortons Brier both suffered their first losses on Draw 7 Monday afternoon, with NWT/Yukon’s Jamie Koe getting pelted 7-1 by Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton and Ontario’s Glenn Howard getting nipped 7-5 by Alberta’s Kevin Martin.

The losses dropped both Ontario and NWT/Yukon to 4-1 and tightened significantly the top half of the Brier standings.

Koe was the first to go down Monday afternoon, shaking hands with Stoughton after just six ends. The Yellowknife skip was already trailing 2-0 when he found himself having to negotiate a tiny port with the last rock of the fifth end against six Manitoba counters.

Koe crashed, handing Manitoba a steal of five. “I can’t explain it,” Koe said afterward. “We were pretty confident going into the game and just didn’t show up.”

The result of the Ontario-Alberta matchup dropped Ontario to 4-1 and improved Alberta to 3-2. Martin said he felt like it was one of the few things that have gone right for his team here this week.

“We haven’t had a bad game yet,” said Martin, “and yet we’re 3-2.”

In other games on Draw 7, Quebec’s Pierre Charette improved to 2-2 with an 8-7 win over PEI’s Peter Gallant. The loss dropped PEI to 1-4. And Nova Scotia’s Mark Kehoe defeated New Brunswick’s Paul Dobson 9-6. Nova Scotia improved to 2-2, while New Brunswick remains the only winless team at 0-4.

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