News Canadian Open

CAMROSE, Alta. — Jennifer Jones scored two points in the final frame to lift her Winnipeg team to a 5-4 victory over Casey Scheidegger during B-side action Thursday at the Meridian Canadian Open.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Jones pulled off a similar comeback to win her record eighth Manitoba championship four days ago.

After alternating singles in the first couple ends to start, Scheidegger stole one in the third for a 2-1 lead as Jones misplayed a runback attempt. It was lone points back and forth in four and five and again in six and seven with Scheidegger staying one step ahead up 4-3.

Jones held the hammer coming home though but didn’t have to throw her last as she already sat two rocks and Scheidegger missed the mark rolling away heavy.

Third Kaitlyn Lawes credits second Jill Officer for helping set the table for the deuce in eight.

“Jill made two great freezes in that end to kind of set up a chance for a deuce,” Lawes said. “A little fortunate that Casey was a little heavy on her last one but we played a hard end. With five-rock rule, two is always in play, which is great.”

Lawes was back in the lineup for Team Jones after Shannon Birchard stepped in during their first game Wednesday. With Lawes leaving for the Winter Olympics to compete in mixed doubles, Birchard will sub in at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Team Jones (1-1) stays in the B brackets of the triple knockout round. Scheidegger (0-2) missed her first game and had Heather Nedohin filling in at skip. The reigning Meridian Canadian Open champion from Lethbridge, Alta., now drop to the C stage and must win three consecutive games in order to qualify for the playoffs.

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Elsewhere in the B brackets, Edmonton’s Laura Crocker clipped Winnipeg’s Darcy Robertson 7-5 and Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg defeated American Nina Roth 7-4.

Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers took two in the eighth to edge Kevin Koe’s Calgary crew 7-6 in the men’s division B group. Edmonton’s Team Brendan Bottcher, with Steve Laycock subbing at skip, scored three in the seventh to win 5-2 over Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud.

Sixteen of the top men’s teams and 16 of the top women’s team from around the world are competing in the fourth tournament — and third major — of the 2017-18 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season.

Meridian Canadian Open action continues with Draw 8 at 12 p.m. MT on Sportsnet. Also watch online at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) or gsoc.yaretv.com (international).

NOTES: Winners of the Meridian Canadian Open earn berths to the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup running April 24-29 at Calgary’s WinSport Arena. … Points are also up for grabs for the Bonus Cup, awarded to the overall season champions.