Edin, Smith set to face off for Tour Challenge men’s title
CRANBROOK, B.C. — It’ll be an all-European men’s final for the first time in a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling event at the Tour Challenge.
Niklas Edin of Sweden will take on Scotland’s Kyle Smith in the historic match after both advanced to Sunday’s championship game.
Edin, who won the WFG Masters a fortnight ago, made it to his second consecutive final with a 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Team Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., and Smith drew for the winning single in the extra end to edge Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud 6-5 during Saturday night’s semifinals.
The victory capped a grinding three-win day for Edin, who struggled early in the tournament starting with a 0-2 record but righted the ship taking five straight, including a 6-3 victory over Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., in a tiebreaker to qualify and a 9-1 rout over No. 1 seed John Morris of Vernon, B.C., in the quarterfinals. Edin admitted he felt some extra pressure going into the Tour Challenge after becoming the first non-Canadian men’s team to capture a GSOC title two weeks ago.
“We played really badly and couldn’t figure out the rocks or the ice,” Edin said. “We pulled ourselves together and actually did some really good efforts to get to the playoffs. First beating Jacobs in the tiebreaker and then a really good game against Morris and keeping it close against these guys even though we were down we never stopped trying. We got our chances and we took them. Really proud of my team and really happy that we could get another semifinal at least and now into the second Slam final in a row.”
Team Smith third Thomas Muirhead said it means a lot for his squad to turn things around after falling short in their European playdowns last month and missing the playoffs two weeks ago at the WFG Masters.
“We’ve worked hard all season and we’ve had a rough couple of weeks,” he said. “We’ve been struggling a wee bit but seemed to manage to put things together now. We got off to a good start. We found the ice a bit tricky so it came right down [to the end] and Kyle played a great shot to win it. I’m delighted and looking forward to tomorrow.”
Edin added it’s actually amazing to have an all-European men’s final.
“The last Slam we were the first non-Canadian men’s team to win it and that basically showed everyone else that it’s possible because before that everyone of course knew it was possible but didn’t really believe that each and every single team could win it,” he said. “Now when we won it I think a lot of other teams see that, ‘well if we play our top game maybe we can win too.’ I think that shows the difference. Now more teams will believe in actually having a chance of winning.”
The young Smith squad only made their Pinty’s GSOC series debut at this event last season in the Tier 2 division and are now leaving an impression among the elite ranks.
“It’s great to play in front of so many people,” Muirhead said. “With the ice the way it is and things it’s very exciting stuff. Just need to go back now, get things sorted out for tomorrow and give Niklas the best game we can.”
Thomas’s older sister Eve Muirhead is a four-time Grand Slam champion, and he’s looking forward to following in her footsteps to a title.
“Eve’s had her turn, I think,” he said with a laugh. “She’s been there and done it so it’s nice to be in that situation for once instead of watching from the sidelines.”
Either way, Sweden wins as Edin’s former teammate Viktor Kjell coaches Team Smith.
Edin punched his ticket to the final in a thrilling fashion. Trailing by one with the hammer coming home, Edin pulled off a tricky double takeout to score the winning three points.
“We were short on time so we needed to make a decision and then the shot was basically not there,” Edin said. “We still knew it was fairly easy for a nose hit for one but to steal in the extra against these guys that’s a slim chance. If we play it with a bit of a hook, get some extra curl, it might be there so we went for it to try and win the game instead because we saw that was our chance.”
Nichols has moved up from vice to call the shots for the St. John’s, N.L. team with skip Brad Gushue on the mend due to a hip injury. Adam Spencer, of Guelph, Ont., filled in at third this week. Team Gushue has qualified for the playoffs in all seven events they’ve played in this season without Gushue.
The Tier 2 men’s final sees Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene go up against Greg Balsdon of Kingston in an all-Ontario final. The winner will earn a berth to the 2017 Meridian Canadian Open running Jan. 3-8 in North Battleford, Sask.
Edmonton’s Val Sweeting made it through to the women’s final with a 9-2 rout over WFG Masters champion Allison Flaxey of Caledon, Ont. Michelle Englot and her Winnipeg-based team scored the winning single in the extra end to edge Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg 6-5. The Tier 2 women’s final features Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay against Jacqueline Harrison of Mississauga in another all-Ontario championship game.
Watch the women’s finals on Sportsnet & Sportsnet NOW at Noon ET / 11 a.m. MT and the men’s finals on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West & Sportssnet NOW at 3:30 p.m. ET / 1:30 p.m. MT. All finals will be played at Western Financial Place.
