News National

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Brad Jacobs has an opportunity to win his first a Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title on home ice after reaching the National final.

The Olympic gold medallist Jacobs advanced with a convincing 8-2 victory over Edmonton’s Brendan Bottcher during Saturday’s semifinals. Jacobs will face Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen, who earned a 5-2 victory over American Heath McCormick.

Watch the National final Sunday on Sportsnet at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Bottcher, the 2012 world junior champion, held the hammer to start and drew into the four-foot circle to score a single in the first but that was his only lead of the game. Jacobs scored a deuce in the second following a close measurement to jump ahead and never looked back adding a steal of one in the third and two in the fourth. After Bottcher was forced to another single in five, Jacobs put the game away with a three-ender in six.

McEwen didn’t start with the hammer either but managed to break away with a 4-0 lead stealing singles in the second and third ends plus two in the fifth. McCormick scored a single in the sixth, stole one in the seventh, and was threatening to steal the game with three counters in the house during the eighth end but McEwen nailed the hit and stick to hang on and tack another point on the board.

The National is second Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling tournament of the season.