Now 2-0 against Gushue in Kelowna
[With files from Curling Canada]
And then there were four.
All of them new teams, with the most established lineup—belonging to Brad Jacobs—being in place for less than a year.
The other three, a matter of months or even weeks.
Brier championship Sunday kicks off with the semifinal at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time and it’s another Battle of the Brads—Jacobs versus Gushue—following Saturday’s playoff games.
Jacobs came through the Page 3 vs. 4 playoff match against a stubborn Reid Carruthers of Manitoba—Jacobs’ former teammate—winning on last stone by a 6-5 count.
Then came defending champion Brad Gushue of St. John’s against another Manitoba team, skipped by Matt Dunstone.
“Dunny” had handed Gushue his only defeat in pool play on Thursday, jettisoning Northern Ontario’s John Epping from the playoff picture and allowing Carruthers in.
Saturday’s rematch went down to last stone at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C. With the score tied in the ninth, Dunstone wrangled a deuce to lead 6-4 but Gushue’s mates clearly had something cooking in the 10th.
Dunstone’s final rock wasn’t a perfect lock, and the skipper winced as Gushue—with just 0:57 left on his shot clock—lined up a winning stone, that appeared to be there for three points and possibly four.
The six-time Brier champion threw his final takeout wide, however, and frantically called for knife-sweeping to make it curl a fraction.
It didn’t happen, a jubilant Dunstone won 7-4 and is into his second Brier final in three years.
Dunstone said he’ll be a different man than the one who played in the 2023 final.
“A lot less surprised, I would say,” said Dunstone. “Not surprised that we were there (in 2023), but just everything that kind of comes with it and the actual experience of it for Colton (Lott) and me. I mean, the Harndens (E.J. and Ryan) have played in a million of these, but now Colton and I know exactly what we’re getting into tomorrow.
“And, you know, that’s a very comforting feeling when we go to bed (Saturday night). There’s going to be no surprises. It feels like we’re right where we should be.
“I think tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun.”
Dunstone fired a 99 per cent shooting average against Gushue, who had beaten him in three previous Brier playoff matches.
“Phenomenal,” said E.J. Harnden about the performance.
“Not surprising. For his age (29), the composure that Matt showcases in the biggest games at the highest level is admirable.
“I know he’s going to win this at some point in time. I’d love to be a part of that. Hopefully we can do that (Sunday).”
“Well, we’ve got to get back to the way we played (Friday) as opposed to the way we played today,” said Harnden’s former skip Gushue, whose team defeated Alberta’s Jacobs 7-4 in the Page 1-2 qualifier on Friday.
“And obviously playing Jacobs again, they’re going to be fired up and they’ve been playing well. So we’ve got to be better than what we were today.”