Jacobs faces must-win for Canadian Open playoff berth

Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs will have one more opportunity to advance to the playoff round of the latest Grand Slam of Curling event, being held this week in North Battleford, Sask.

Competing in the Canadian Open, a triple knockout event, the Jacobs rink, which includes third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden, and lead Ryan Harnden, dropped a 5-3 decision to Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont. on Friday night.

The loss gave Howard a playoff berth while bumping Jacobs into the C Bracket where he will need a win over Matt Dunstone of Regina, Sask. on Saturday morning to earn one of three remaining playoff berths on the men’s side.

Howard dropped to the B Bracket after losing to Bruce Mouat in one of two A Bracket qualifiers. Brendan Bottcher of Edmonton also earned a playoff spot out of the A Bracket by winning the other A Bracket qualifier.

Jacobs opened the tournament with a 6-5 loss to Peter De Cruz of Switzerland but got to the B Bracket final thanks to wins over Rylan Kleiter of Saskatoon and Braden Calvert of Winnipeg.

Kevin Koe of Calgary earned a playoff spot out of the B Bracket thanks to a win over Niklas Edin of Sweden while the other B Bracket playoff spot went to Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Nfld. after he beat De Cruz.

The other C Bracket qualifiers on Saturday morning will see De Cruz take on John Epping of Toronto and Edin will face Calvert.

The six-day event features 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams and teams must win three games before losing three to advance to playoff round action.

Teams began the tournament in an A Bracket with winners remaining there and the losing teams moving to the B Bracket. Another loss in the B Bracket would drop teams to the C Bracket and a third loss eliminates the team from the tournament.