Brier Playoff Weekend Is Here

Two teams that missed chances to clinch Brier playoff spots in their final round robin games came up short again in their Friday tiebreakers.

Mike McEwen’s Manitoba lost to provincial rival Jason Gunnlaugson’s Wild Card by a score of 9-3.

Nothing went right for McEwen in his final two games of the Brier, as her was clocked at a 64 per cent shooting average on Thursday evening and 63 per cent on Friday.

McEwen, who had looked devastated by each of the losses, asked officials if there was any way after the seventh end to shake hands, but had to play out the eighth end before finishing his 2022 Brier.

In the other tiebreaker, Colton Flasch completed a trifecta of big wins over Matt Dunstone, winning the right to be the sole Saskatchewan team to move onto the playoffs.

Flasch had blocked Dunstone’s path to the Brier at provincial playdowns with a win in the championship final, and was the one to keep Dunstone from securing his Brier playoff spot in their final round robin game on Thursday afternoon, forcing the tiebreaker.

In the latest tussle, Flasch had Dunstone chasing him for most of the game but the score remained close until a steal of two in the seventh end broke the match open.

Trailing 5-3 and having no shot for two, Dunstone was drawing for a single. But he wrecked on a guard, leaving two Flasch counters to score.

Dunstone, with his broom flipped over his shoulder, rolled his eyes and looked distraught as the shot wrecked and Flasch took the 7-3 lead.

Dunstone took back two in the eighth end, to enter the ninth down 7-5. But it was too late, and the teams eventually shook hands over a final score of 9-5.

With the tiebreakers complete, the playoff matchups are set.

Gunnlaugson will play Brendan Bottcher’s Team Canada on Friday afternoon, with the winner taking on the undefeated Wild Card 1 skipped by Brad Gushue on Friday evening.

Flasch will take on Brad Jacobs and his Northern Ontario squad in the afternoon game, with the winner meeting the host Alberta team skipped by Kevin Koe on Friday evening.

Following the end of round robin play on Thursday evening, Alberta third B.J. Neufeld said that these are the kinds of tournaments that bring out the best in his skip.

“(Koe) gets excited for these events,” said Neufeld. “I think he’s a lot more aware in these events than maybe some of the Slams. He may be going through the motions a little bit in some of the other events.

“This one obviously really piques his interest, and when he’s interested and engaged and prepared, you see the result. He makes all kinds of unbelievable shots. And we always feel like we’re gonna have a chance when he's throwing the last rock.”

Brad Gushue said that winning their pool was important, and their perfect 8-0 record may give them an extra edge when it comes to owning the hammer throughout each playoff game.

“(It) gives some advantages with rocks and hammer going forward, which is nice,” Gushue said. “You know that's one thing we didn’t have in Beijing was the hammer very often, so to make sure we have it now in the playoffs—that’s a good feature, a good bonus.”