Gushue ices Martin in extra to stay in contention at Canadian Open
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., is still in the chase for the Canadian Open title after earning a 7-6 victory in the extra end over Edmonton’s Kevin Martin during Draw 8 action Friday afternoon.
Gushue (2-2) didn’t need to throw his last to win it as he already held shot rock when Martin (3-1) clipped his own guard for his first loss in the round-robin.
The 2006 Winter Games champion Gushue missed out on qualifying his club for the Canadian Olympic trials but will join Martin, the reigning Olympic gold medallist, as an alternate in next month’s Roar of the Rings.
Reigning world champion Niklas Edin of Sweden also earned an extra-end victory defeating Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud 4-3 to remain in contention at 2-2. Ulsrud (1-4) was threatening to score big in the eighth to win it until Edin hit a clutch triple takeout that limited the 2010 Olympic silver medallist to just a single to tie it. That forced the extra end where Edin prevailed.
Rob Fowler of Brandon, Man., also improved to a 2-2 record scoring four in the second and three in the fifth during an 8-3 victory over Toronto’s John Epping (3-2).
Toronto’s Mark Kean (4-1) earned three-enders in the first and seventh ends during an 8-4 win against Sweden’s Oskar Eriksson (1-4).
Winnipeg’s William Lyburn (1-4) will miss the playoffs, but ended his run on a high note scoring two three-enders during a 7-3 victory over Switzerland’s Peter de Cruz (3-2).
One round-robin draw remains with the top eight teams qualifying for Saturday’s quarterfinals.
