Bottcher, Carruthers still unbeaten at National
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher and Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers both improved to 4-0 records at the National.
Bottcher earned a 7-5 victory over Rob Rumfeldt of Guelph, Ont., and Carruthers outlasted Masters champion Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., 6-4 during Draw 6 action Friday morning in the Grand Slam of Curling tournament.
Only one of them will remain undefeated, however, as Carruthers and Bottcher clash in their final round-robin matchup at 3:30 p.m. ET live on Sportsnet.
Bottcher jumped out to an early 5-0 lead thanks to a three-ender in the second followed by a steal of two in the third. Rumfeldt (0-3) got on the board with a deuce in the fourth and a steal of one in the fifth. Bottcher settled for one in six. Rumfeldt closed to within one by scoring two in seven, but gave up the hammer coming home and Bottcher added another single.
Meanwhile, Carruthers gave up a single steal to Gushue in the second but bounced back scoring three in the third and stealing one in the fourth to lead 4-1. The Masters champion Gushue (1-2) earned a deuce in the fifth and a single steal in six to tie it but Carruthers took two more points in the seventh.
Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen (3-1) settled for one in the opening end but charged ahead stealing two in the second and scoring three in the fourth during a 7-4 win over American John Shuster (1-3).
Mark Kean of Stoney Creek, Ont., picked up his first win at the National with an 8-6 victory over Toronto’s John Epping. Kean (1-3) broke a 2-2 tie with a three-ender in the fourth and held on after the teams alternated deuces in five and six and Epping (2-1) added another pair in seven. Kean closed the game with a single in the eighth.
Calgary’s Matthew Blandford (2-1) grabbed a single in the second, stole one in the third and scored three in the fifth for a 5-2 victory over Charlottetown’s Adam Casey (1-3).
National action continues on Sportsnet live at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT featuring Epping taking on defending champion Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont.
