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Mike McEwen. (Anil Mungal)

McEwen takes Stu Sells Toronto Tankard title

TORONTO — Mike McEwen earned his second title of the season thanks to some clutch shots in the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard men’s final Monday night.

McEwen opened the scoring with a deuce in the second and never relinquished the lead stealing one in the fourth and grabbing another pair of points in seven during a 5-1 victory over Glenn Howard at the High Park Club.

Trailing 2-0, Howard blanked the third end making his final shot through the narrow port to get the takeout. Howard, of Penetanguishene, Ont., attempted to blank the fourth end as well but he flashed on his last rock, just missing McEwen’s lone stone in the house, to give up the steal.

McEwen made a nifty in-off tap to take out two counters and sit four in the fifth end, forcing Howard to make an open hit with his last and settle for a single.

McEwen blanked the sixth and closed out the game in seven with a come-around shot to hit and get two points to bring out the handshakes.

The 29-team triple knockout tournament featured a deep field with the five best rinks on the World Curling Tour’s total order of merit plus 10 more ranked within the top 30 in action.

The Winnipeg-based rink of McEwen, third B.J. Neufeld, second Matt Wozniak and lead Denni Neufeld — ranked No. 1 in the world — have now won back-to-back titles after claiming the Point Optical Curling Classic in Saskatoon two weeks ago.

Team Howard had Rob Rumfeldt filling in at second for Wayne Middaugh during the tournament. The rink also featured Richard Hart at third and Glenn’s son Scott Howard at lead.

Meanwhile, Erika Brown capped an undefeated run with a 6-1 win over Rhonda Varnes in the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard women’s final.

The Wisconsin-based rink of Brown, third Allison Pottinger, second Nicole Joraanstad and lead Natalie Nicholson finished the tournament with an unblemished 7-0 record.

Brown scored two in the second, three in the fifth and added a single steal in seven while holding Varnes to just one point in four.