Playoff Picture Taking Shape in St. John’s

With two days remaining in round-robin play at the Montana’s Brier, teams are battling for position as the playoff picture begins to clarify. Two teams with connections to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, are firmly in the hunt for a playoff berth.

Dunstone Rink Splits Tuesday’s Matches

Matt Dunstone and his Manitoba-based team, including Sault Ste. Marie natives E.J. Harnden at second and Ryan Harnden, went 1-1 on Tuesday, bringing their record to 4-1 through five days of competition in St. John’s, N.L.

Dunstone started the day with a 6-3 victory over Braden Calvert of Manitoba. The game was tied at three through six ends before Dunstone scored a pair in the seventh and stole one in the ninth to secure the win.

Later in the day, Dunstone faced a tough opponent in Alberta’s Kevin Koe, ultimately falling 7-6. Trailing 5-4, Koe scored a pair in the eighth end to accept the lead. Dunstone tied the game with a single in the ninth, setting up a draw by Koe on his final shot to win the game.

Every win’s not going to look pretty,” said Colton Lott, Team Dunstone’s third, Curling Canada. It’s just how you respond to it.”

Dunstone will face Thomas Scoffin’s Yukon team in the afternoon draw on Wednesday.

Jacobs Remains Undefeated

Brad Jacobs continued his impressive run, picking up an 8-4 win over Quebec’s Jean-Michel Ménard on Tuesday. Jacobs now holds a 5-0 record.

Jacobs took the lead with a pair in the fifth and a steal of one in the sixth, extending his advantage to 5-3. After Ménard narrowed the gap to 5-4 in the seventh, Jacobs finished strong with a pair in the eighth and another steal in the ninth.

Jacobs and his team, including third Marc Kennedy, second Brett Gallant, and lead Ben Hebert, are scheduled for two games on Wednesday, facing Kendal Thompson of Nova Scotia in the morning draw and Nathan Young of Newfoundland and Labrador afterward.

Physically, we’re starting to really come around and feel good,” Jacobs said in media availability provided by Curling Canada. We’ve been getting lots of good rest and lots of treatments from our fifth man, Mike Caione, our chiropractor. The boys are feeling good. Every game, we’re learning. Learning the ice, learning the rocks, and getting more and more comfortable.”

Other Notable Results

Sandy MacEwan and his Northern Ontario team secured an 11-3 victory over British Columbia’s Cody Tanaka. MacEwan will face Kevin Koe in Wednesday’s afternoon draw.

Playoff Format

The round robin concludes on Thursday, with the top three teams in each of the nine-team pools advancing to the playoff round, which begins on Friday.

FAQ

What is the format of the Brier?

The Brier is a round-robin tournament followed by a playoff round. The top three teams from each pool advance to the playoffs.

Who are the key players to watch?

Matt Dunstone and Brad Jacobs are currently leading the charge, with strong performances from their respective teams.