Jacobs clinches Canadian Open playoff spot

It’s not very often you can get a Friday off at a Grand Slam of Curling event, but Brad Jacobs and his teammates will have one this week at the Canadian Open in Yorkton, Sask.

Thanks to a 3-0 record the Jacobs rink, which includes third Marc Kennedy, second E.J. Harnden, and lead Ryan Harnden, clinched a sport in the tournament quarterfinal on Saturday.

The triple knockout tournament features 16 men’s and women’s teams.

Jacobs and Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Nfld. have clinched playoff spots out of the A Bracket with 3-0 records.

Jacobs secured a playoff berth with a win over a 5-3 win over American Korey Dropkin on Thursday afternoon.

After blanking the opening end, the Jacobs rink took a 2-0 lead with a pair in the second end.

Dropkin got on the board with a single in the third and proceeded to tie the game by stealing one more in the fourth end.

Jacobs would take the lead for good in the fifth end with another pair.

After Dropkin blanked the sixth end, the teams traded singled in the final two ends to cap off the game.

As teams lose their first game, the drop to the B Bracket and drop to the C Bracket with a second loss.

Six more teams will earn playoff spots with three coming out of the B Bracket and three more coming out of the C Bracket.

Quarterfinal action for the men is scheduled for 12 p.m. Sault time on Saturday.