News Elite 10

PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., scored in the eighth end to take 1-up win over Sweden’s Niklas Edin during Draw 2 Thursday at the Princess Auto Elite 10.

The event features a match play format where teams compete to win the most ends per game by either scoring two or more with the hammer or stealing at least one without the hammer.

With the game all square in the final frame, Edin rubbed and rolled to the wrong spot and the reigning Olympic gold medallist Jacobs pulled off a double to count two for the win. 

“It’s nice to get a win early and a little momentum,” Team Jacobs second E.J. Harnden said. “Any time you can make a big shot to win a game and get the crowd into it, it’s a great feeling.”

Jacobs (1-0-0-0, 3 points) heads right back onto the ice to face Calgary’s Kevin Koe (0-0-1-0, 1 point) in the evening draw. Edin (1-0-0-1, 3 points) picked up a 3-and-2 victory over Toronto’s John Epping earlier in the opening draw.

Elsewhere, Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton, who stepped back from competitive curling two years ago, has still got the touch skipping the Elite 10 Select team to a 1-up victory over Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock.

“We’re at an advantage that we’re loose and having a good time and just want to put on a good show,” Stoughton said. “There’s not a lot on the line for us other than we don’t want to stink up the place, that’s for sure. So we’re having a lot of fun with it and it’s nice to get a win under your belt right off the hop and we’ll just keep plugging away for the next three games.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion Stoughton (1-0-0-0, 3 points) is skipping a special legends squad featuring third Dave Nedohin, second Nolan Thiessen and lead Jamie Korab. Two-time Canadian junior champion Matt Dunstone is filling in this week at second on Team Laycock (0-0-0-1, zero points). Longtime second Colton Flasch decided to step back from the team earlier this month after five years with the squad.

John Morris of Vernon, B.C. team opened with a 4-and-2 win over Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers. Morris (1-0-0-0, 3 points) scored in the first and stole back-to-back ends in two and three for an early 3-up lead. Team Morris added another point in six as Carruthers fell to a 0-0-1-1 record having earned one point in a shootout loss to Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., during Draw 1. 

The Princess Auto Elite 10 runs through to Sunday at the Civic Centre.

NOTES: The Princess Auto Elite 10 is the fifth event of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season … Blank ends result in loss of hammer and there are no carryovers. … The champion will earn an invite to the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup running April 25-30 at WinSport Arena in Calgary. … Teams also earn points toward the Rogers Grand Slam Cup, awarded to the overall season champion.