Bottcher, Carey win HDF Insurance Shoot-Out
Hometown favourite Brendan Bottcher stole a point in the extra end to edge Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 7-6 and win the HDF Insurance Shoot-Out in Edmonton on Sunday.
Bottcher trailed 3-1 after three ends before tying the game with a deuce in the fourth. The two rinks traded doubles to keep it tight and Laycock settled for a single in the seventh to regain the lead 6-5. Bottcher scored one in the eighth to send it into the extra frame.
The team of Bottcher, Tom Appelman, Brady Thiessen and Karrick Martin almost missed the playoffs after dropping two games in a row at the triple knockout tournament. Bottcher topped Shawn Donnelly 7-0 to book a spot in the quarterfinals and then defeated Mick Lizmore 6-4 and James Pahl 4-3 to reach the final.
HDF Shootout Champions! Starting out the season strong in our first WCT event of the year! #HDFshootout #Champs
— Team Bottcher (@TeamBottcher) September 15, 2014
Meanwhile, Chelsea Carey scored two in the eighth end to lift her rink to a 5-3 win over Val Sweeting in the all-Edmonton rink women’s division final.
Carey’s team featuring third Laura Crocker, second Taylor McDonald and lead Jen Gates finished with a 7-1 record in their first World Curling Tour tournament together.
Awesome weekend with @teamccarey! #HDFshootout champs & lots of laughs to boot. Great start to the season! pic.twitter.com/BV16LnpmXw
— Laura Crocker (@lcrocker19) September 15, 2014
Won my first WCT event today with @teamccarey! Feeling like a big girl right now. #IsThisRealLife #OhBaby
— Taylor McDonald (@taylormcd93) September 15, 2014