ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Mike McEwen knew his Saskatoon-based squad could be strolling into the lion’s den Thursday evening on the Kioti Nationwide, so why not embrace the heel position?
McEwen confronted St. John’s personal Brad Gushue, who introduced alongside roughly 6,000 of his closest associates to pack the Mary Brown’s Centre.
The gang was already fired up, clapping and stomping alongside throughout observe as conventional Newfoundland folks songs performed whereas they waited to observe their modern-day folks hero play. As soon as the warmups commenced, that was McEwen and his teammates’ cue to duck off the ice. Because the glass shattered and “Stone Chilly” Steve Austin’s theme music hit, Workforce McEwen returned with Colton Flasch draped within the Saskatchewan flag and twins Kevin and Dan Marsh elevating their adorned ugly sticks.
It was all performed to laughs as consideration then turned to the staff that wanted no introduction — though there was one, you simply couldn’t hear MC Robbie Doherty by way of the roar of the capability crowd.
That greater than set the tone for an electrical night and one which McEwen emerged victorious over the house facet in an intense 4-3 battle.
The 2 skips have confronted off since they had been youngsters in juniors and Thursday’s contest was their 61st assembly in males’s play. McEwen holds the benefit 34-27 all-time and has had Gushue’s quantity this season at 4-0.
Successful the draw-to-the-button shootout to begin proved to be key for McEwen because it allowed him to dictate the play and by no means path within the match.
After three consecutive blanks to begin, the group began to dial again and develop a bit stressed for some offence. Gushue ensured there wouldn’t be a fourth set of bagels on the board as he sat not less than two counters, with a 3rd one too shut sufficient for consolation, that compelled McEwen into making an angle elevate bump for one level.
The tables had been turned within the fifth finish after Gushue rubbed off a guard together with his first skip stone. That allowed McEwen so as to add one other log to the hearth, drawing in to sit down 4 and Gushue needed to make a elevate of his personal to attain the equalizing single.
McEwen scored a deuce within the sixth to drag forward 3-1 as his elevate takeout simply grazed his stone because the again finish of the 12-foot circle to stay within the rings.
A few errors within the seventh had McEwen in hassle till he bailed his staff out with a clutch cross-house double to restrict the injury.
Gushue drew for a tying two factors, and landed on the lid in addition, as the group erupted and even a hockey horn went off.
Nonetheless, that put McEwen proper the place he needed to be — holding the hammer coming dwelling — and he simply needed to chip out Gushue’s shot rock whereas avoiding his stone proper behind it in the home to attain the profitable level.
The gang has proven its assist for all curlers this week and McEwen remained at ice degree lengthy after the sport had completed, even after Workforce Gushue had left, to signal autographs and take selfies with followers.
McEwen moved to a 3-0 report within the event to punch a playoff ticket whereas handing Gushue his first lack of the week.
Gushue (2-1) may have one other probability to qualify Friday when he takes on Switzerland’s Workforce Marco Hösli (1-2). McEwen will look to fine-tune issues in opposition to former teammate and longtime buddy Reid Carruthers (1-2).
Hösli shall be hungry for one more win to remain in rivalry after defeating Carruthers’s Winnipeg membership 8-3 on the adjoining sheet.
Workforce Michael Brunner (1-2) additionally obtained within the win column with a 6-5 resolution in opposition to Switzerland’s Workforce Yannick Schwaller (0-3) in an all-Swiss showdown.
Yannick Schwaller is out of the lineup after present process knee surgical procedure. His brother, Kim Schwaller, is filling in at second with Sven Michel transferring as much as throw third and skip the squad.
Scotland’s Workforce Ross Whyte (3-0) certified for the quarterfinals with a 9-5 victory over Germany’s Workforce Marc Muskatewitz (1-2). Whyte held the hammer tied coming dwelling and made a elevate double takeout to attain 4 factors.
The ultimate 4 round-robin attracts are set for Friday starting with Draw 13 at 8:30 a.m. NT / 7 a.m. ET.
Broadcast protection resumes on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ resumes at midday NT / 10:30 a.m. ET.
The Kioti Nationwide is the third Grand Slam of Curling occasion of the season that includes 16 of the highest males’s groups and 16 of the highest ladies’s groups from around the globe. … Spherical-robin play runs by way of to Friday. The highest eight groups in each divisions advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals. If mandatory, one tiebreaker draw shall be performed Saturday morning to find out the ultimate playoff spots. … The semifinals are additionally scheduled for Saturday with each finals on faucet Sunday.
