News National

PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — Brad Gushue picked up a pivotal 7-5 win Friday afternoon over Thomas Ulsrud to stay in contention at the National Grand Slam of Curling. 

Gushue finished his round-robin schedule with a 3-2 record and is guaranteed at least a tiebreaker as the top eight teams move on to the playoff round. 

The 2006 Olympic gold medallist never trailed as the teams alternated deuces in the opening two ends and Gushue counted another couple of points in three to lead 4-2. After alternating singles in four and five, Ulsrud was held to a single again in six and Gushue tacked on two more points in seven. Ulsrud (1-4) held the hammer coming home down three but could only muster another lone point. 

Elsewhere in Draw 8, Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., grabbed sole possession of first place in Pool B after beating Toronto’s Mark Kean 4-3. Jacobs (4-1) scored a deuce in the third to take the lead and added single steals in the fourth and sixth ends. Kean (1-4) scored two in the seventh to narrow the gap back to one point but ran out of rocks in the eighth.

Edmonton’s Kevin Martin (4-0) remains the lone undefeated side in Pool C after defeating Rob Rumsfeldt of Guelph, Ont., 6-4. Rumsfeldt ended the tournament winless at 0-5. 

Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock handed Calgary’s Kevin Koe his first loss of the National with a 5-4 decision. Laycock wrapped up round-robin play with a 3-2 record to stay in contention while Koe (3-1) faces Martin in the round-robin finale. 

Niklas Edin of Sweden stole a point in an extra end to edge Toronto’s John Epping 6-5. Edin improved to 3-2 and stays in the mix while Epping, from Toronto, has been eliminated at 1-4. 

Round-robin play wraps up Friday evening at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. The quarterfinals and ssemif