News Players' Championship

TORONTO — Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., improved to a 3-0 record at the WestJet Players’ Championship to stay on top of Pool B.

The 2014 Olympic gold medallist scored two in the seventh to grab the lead and stole in eight to hang on for a 6-4 victory Thursday over Toronto’s John Epping and eliminate the hometown hero.

Epping (0-4) opened with the hammer, but failed to convert with the advantage as Jacobs stole a point to jump out of the gate. The three-time Grand Slam champ Epping took two in the second and Jacobs settled for a single in three to make it all square at 2-2.

Missed opportunities on both sides resulted in singles in the following couple ends. After Jacobs came up short on a double tap in the fourth end, Epping wasn’t able to capitalize as he wrecked on a guard to just get one and a 3-2 lead. Jacobs made a great cross-house double with his first skip stone to set up a possible three-count in five, however, his last nudged his own stone rather than Epping’s counter and only got a point to knot it back up.

Epping hit and stayed for just one in six. Jacobs took two in seven to jump back into the lead and stole one coming home as Epping looked to make a double but only connected with one counter.

Jacobs won his first career Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling title at the Players’ Championship in 2015.

Elsewhere, it was a good day at the office for Peter de Cruz of Switzerland, who picked up his second victory defeating Sweden’s Niklas Edin 8-3. De Cruz bounced back from a 0-2 start at the WestJet Players’ Championship to draw his record level.

“I think we’re feeling a little bit of the jet lag from the worlds,” said de Cruz, who earned the bronze medal Sunday in Edmonton. “We didn’t really have as much energy as we wanted but we knew if we rested a little, if we did our job, we’d start feeling a little bit better after a few games and that’s what happened.”

De Cruz, who beat Epping in the morning draw, credits sharpshooting fourth Benoit Schwarz for getting them back into the playoff picture.

“Ben is playing unbelievably,” he said. “He’s making absolutely everything at the moment so if he can keep going he’s going to put us in a pretty good situation.”

Edin, who earned silver at the worlds, dropped to a 1-2 record.

Scotland’s Kyle Smith also scored an 8-3 victory to down Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock. Both teams hold 2-1 records.

Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg shined with a two-win Thursday after holding on to oust Winnipeg’s Michelle Englot 4-3.

With Hasselborg (2-2) leading 3-0 at the break, Englot scored a single in five and stole back-to-back ends to erase the deficit. Hasselborg held the hammer in the eighth and needed sweepers Sofia Mabergs and Agnes Knochenhauer to drag in the winning draw shot.

“I’m really proud with how we bounced back today,” said Hasselborg, who also scored a victory in the morning over Muirhead. “We didn’t have a good day at all yesterday and today we played as we know we can. It feels great to have two wins in the pocket.”

The Scotties silver medallist Englot (0-4) has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., escaped with 6-4 win over Scotland’s Eve Muirhead to qualify for the playoffs. Fleury (3-1) broke a 2-2 tie stealing two in the fifth and swiped one in six for insurance. Muirhead scored a deuce in seven to close to within one, but wasn’t able to complete the comeback.

The double defending champ Muirhead is on the ropes with a 1-3 record and needs to win her final round-robin game to stay in contention.

Round-robin action at the WestJet Players’ Championship continues Thursday at 7 p.m. ET with TV coverage on Sportsnet 360 and online at Sportsnet NOW (Canada) & gsoc.yaretv.com (international)

NOTES: The WestJet Players’ Championship is the fourth major and sixth event of the 2016-17 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre. … The Rogers Grand Slam Cup will be awarded to the overall season champions following the conclusion of the WestJet Players’ Championship. … Winners of the WestJet Players’ Championship will earn berths to the Humpty’s Champions Cup running April 25-30 in Calgary.