Jacobs slides into Players’ Championship playoffs
SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — Olympic champion Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., qualified for the Players’ Championship playoffs with a 7-4 victory over Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton during the final round-robin draw Friday night.
Jacobs, who finished pool play at 3-2, opened with a deuce in the first and counted another couple in four to lead 4-1 at the break. Stoughton took two in the fifth to narrow the gap, but Jacobs broke away again with a three-ender in six. The teams shook hands after Stoughton was limited to a single in seven.
It was the last game for Stoughton’s current lineup as they are heading their separate ways next season. Lead Reid Carruthers will skip his own squad while third Jon Mead is joining Glenn Howard in Ontario. Second Mark Nichols has yet to announce his future plans.
Toronto’s John Epping (3-2) also clinched a playoff spot with a 7-4 win over Olympic bronze medallist Niklas Edin (2-3) of Sweden. Scotland’s David Murdoch scored two in the fourth and stole three in the fifth during a 6-2 victory in six ends over Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock. Neither Murdoch (2-3) nor Laycock (1-4) qualified for the playoffs.
Jacobs (3-2) will play reigning Brier champion Kevin Koe (4-1) of Calgary in the quarterfinals while Epping faces Edmonton’s Kevin Martin (3-2). Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen (5-0) and Brad Gushue (4-1) of St. John’s, N.L., received byes to the semifinals as the top two seeds.
NOTES: The Players’ Championship is the fourth and final event of the Grand Slam of Curling season. … The five-rock rule is in effect. Rocks sitting in the free-guard zone cannot be removed from play until the sixth rock.
