Eight Ends: Team Gushue, Epping deliver another slam dunk final
TORONTO — Team Brad Gushue and Team John Epping always deliver and Monday’s epic encounter for the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard was no exception even with both squads short-handed and relying on spares.
Team Gushue (minus Gushue) came out on top to continue their hot start to the season despite missing their all-star skip for the fourth consecutive tournament.
The St. John’s crew defeated the local favourites 5-4 in a thrilling men’s final that was like watching a slam dunk contest with both teams trying to upstage one another by making back-and-forth sensational shots.
It was reminiscent of last season’s Meridian Canadian Open final where Epping threw a perfect game to top Gushue and win his third career Grand Slam title.
Just when you thought Team Gushue’s Mark Nichols held shot rock with an amazing in-off double, Epping replied with a tight tap back to score.
Even when Nichols held a quarry of rocks in the house and a multi-point score seemed to be in the bank, along came Team Epping third Mat Camm delivering a triple takeout followed by Epping blasting the rest out with a paint-thinning double leaving nothing but a blank as the option.
The teams kept pace throughout the championship game, however, only one could win and Nichols held the advantage with the hammer in the decisive eighth end. Nichols didn’t need to throw his final rock as his protected first skip stone on the button remained untouched after Epping was just a little too tight on his last and collided with another one of his rocks.
Like with the Toronto Blue Jays rolling through the American League Division Series over the Texas Rangers, call it a sweep here too as Team Gushue went 6-0 through the tournament.
Now if only it really was like the ALDS and the Gushue-Epping final was a best-of-five series. That would be next level.
1st End: Team Gushue carrying on with skip on the mend
You never know how a team will perform when they lose a player, especially when it’s someone like Gushue.
The team’s superb tour season last year netted them eight titles including three Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling championships and the top spot on the money list earning $194,051. Looking to carry that momentum into a key season where Canadian Olympic Trials spots are up for grabs and their hometown hosts the Tim Hortons Brier is no easy task. Take the 2006 Olympic gold medallist Gushue out of the equation for an indefinite amount of time and one would think it would be an uphill struggle.
However, third Nichols (moving up to call the shots as interim skip), second Brett Gallant and lead Geoff Walker have stepped up their game qualifying for the playoffs in all four tournaments this season and maintaining their No. 1 ranking on the World Curling Tour’s Order of Merit (OOM). Kudos also to Adam Spencer, who has rightfully earned the “super spare” title. The Guelph, Ont., native filled in at third for the second time with the club and was integral to their victory.
Spencer was unable to make it in time for the team’s first game early Friday forcing the others to compete as a trio against Michael Brunner’s crew from Switzerland. No problem for Team Gushue though as they picked up the 6-2 victory.
Gushue was actually in town watching his team and was pleased with what he saw before bailing on them Sunday night to attend the Blue Jays’ incredible Game 3 victory at Rogers Centre.
2nd End: Middaugh makes it two in a row on tour
Sherry Middaugh claimed her second consecutive tour title this season winning the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard.
Middaugh, of Coldwater, Ont., also pulled off an undefeated record wrapping up with a 5-3 win over Toronto’s Cathy Auld in Monday’s final. It was also an exciting conclusion as Auld trailed by one point with the hammer coming home and had a chance to make an angle raise to score two for the win, but just missed the mark.
Team Middaugh, who won the KW Fall Classic two weeks ago, are back on track on tour after slipping in the standings. While they will miss the WFG Masters, Middaugh’s rebound to start the season has vaulted them up to 15th on the OOM.
3rd End: Roster report
– Gushue — out indefinitely: Gushue said during the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard he still has no timetable for when he plans to return from his nagging hip injury that has kept him on the shelf to start the season (click here to read more).
– Janssen — out for a few weeks: Team Epping second Pat Janssen sustained a fractured zygoma (orbital/cheekbone area) when he fell face-first onto the ice during a curling clinic. Janssen had surgery over the weekend and missed the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard with Scott Hodgson (Team Mike Harris) filling in. Epping is hoping Janssen will be back in time for the WFG Masters in two weeks (click here to read more).
– Jones — back in action: Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones returned to the lineup this past weekend in Calgary at the Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic. Jones gave birth to daughter Skyla in August. The reigning Olympic champ Jones was actually on the ice with husband Brent Laing during the previous weekend for the Canad Inns Mixed Doubles Championship.
– Sloan — back at WFG Masters: Team Eve Muirhead third Anna Sloan has been out with a knee injury since the final stages of last season. Sloan is targeting to return in time for the WFG Masters. Former Team Muirhead third Kelly Schafer has subbed in the meantime.
4th End: Scheidegger scores another stunning title win
Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alta., captured the Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic on Monday to claim her second tour title of the season.
Scheidegger entered the event ranked 25th on the World Curling Tour and edged Jones 6-5 in an extra end.
Team Scheidegger is turning into a “giant killer” as the squad also defeated Team Muirhead in last month’s HDF Insurance Shoot-Out final by stealing singles in the final four ends.
5th End: Laycock takes Direct Horizontal Drilling Fall Classic
Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock came out on top in Edmonton at the Direct Horizontal Drilling Fall Classic. Laycock beat Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers 5-4 in an extra end during Monday’s final.
Meanwhile, Muirhead earned the Women’s Masters Basel title in Switzerland. Muirhead, from Scotland, scored five in the fifth end to take the lead and held on from there winning 8-6 over Margaretha Sigfridsson of Sweden in Sunday’s final.
The St. Paul Cash Spiel in Minnesota offered a preview of what to expect for the U.S. nationals with several of the top American teams reaching the playoffs. Cory Christensen topped Nina Roth 7-6 Sunday to successfully defend the women’s title while Heath McCormick took down Craig Brown’s team, skipped by Kroy Nernberger, 7-2 in the men’s final.
6th End: Coming up on tour
The curling world turns its attention to Portage la Prairie, Man., for the next two weeks starting with the Canad Inns Men’s Classic. Laycock looks to make it two in a row in Portage and two in a row on the tour season. The 32-team field features nine of the top 15 ranked rinks in the world including Kevin Koe, Mike McEwen, Brad Jacobs and Reid Carruthers.
Elsewhere on tour: The Hub International Crown of Curling goes down in Kamloops, B.C.; the Stroud Sleeman Cash Spiel takes place in Stroud, Ont.; Winnipeg hosts the Atkins Curling Supplies Classic; and the McKee Homes Fall Curling Classic is on in Airdrie, Alta., where local skip Aaron Sluchinski has an opportunity to make it a three-peat on home ice.
7th End: Two weeks to the WFG Masters
The start of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season is only a fortnight away. Canadian champions Chelsea Carey and Kevin Koe kick off the WFG Masters playing in the opening draw in Okotoks, Alta. Tickets are still available, visit thegrandslamofcurling.com/tickets for more info.
Also check out thegrandslamofcurling.com/curling/masters for event news, team lineups, draw and TV schedules.
8th End: Tour Challenge Tuesdays
It’s also less than a month away until the second Pinty’s GSOC event, the Tour Challenge, running Nov. 8-13 in Cranbrook, B.C. Expect an official release later this week announcing the teams competing.