News National

OSHAWA, Ont. — Reid Carruthers scored a point in the eighth end to edge Mike McEwen 8-7 Friday morning in an all-Winnipeg matchup at the National. 

Carruthers wrapped up round-robin play with a 3-1 record to advance to the quarterfinals. The defending champion McEwen, who won the Masters earlier this month, fell to 1-2 and needs a win over Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., in his final round-robin game later to stay in contention.

The reigning Manitoba champion Carruthers opened with the hammer and earned a three-ender in the first. McEwen took two in the second. Carruthers added a single in three and a steal of one in four to retake the three-point advantage, but McEwen got three points in five to knot it up 5-5. The two teams split deuces through the sixth and seventh ends to keep it squared.

Elsewhere, Jean-Michel Menard (1-2) of Quebec City, Que., iced a 7-2 victory in six ends over Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock, who finished winless at 0-4.

Julie Hastings (1-3) of Thornhill, Ont., ended her tournament on a high note with a 6-1 win in six ends versus South Korea’s EunJung Kim (1-2). 

The National is the third stop — and second major — of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday evening at the General Motors Centre. Previously a men’s invitational, the National expanded this year to include a women’s division for the first time in the event’s history.

TV coverage of the National resumes at Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT on Sportsnet.