Stoughton tops Martin for playoff spot at Players’ Championship
TORONTO — Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton took two points in the final end to lift his team to a 5-4 win over Edmonton’s Kevin Martin and clinch a playoff spot Friday night at the Players’ Championship.
Stoughton (3-1) enters the men’s quarterfinals riding a three-game winning streak after dropping his opening round-robin match to Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock.
With Stoughton leading 2-1, Martin tried to score two in the fourth but was only able to claim a single to tie it after a close measurement. Martin went ahead in the fifth when Stoughton couldn’t drag his final shot to the button and gave up a single steal. The teams traded singles in six and seven heading into the eighth and Stoughton capitalized on Martin’s mistake to score a deuce in the final frame.
Stoughton has won four out of six matches against Martin this year including their last three games. Martin (2-2) now faces defending Players’ champion John Epping (2-2) in a tiebreaker.
In other Draw 13 action, Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ont., finished round-robin play at 4-0 scoring three in the seventh end during a 5-3 win over Mike McEwen of Winnipeg. McEwen qualified for the playoff round with a 3-1 record.
Brier champion Brad Jacobs was victorious in an extra end with a 5-4 win versus Calgary’s Kevin Koe. Jacobs, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., finished with a 3-1 and advanced to the playoffs. Koe now takes on Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., in a tiebreaker match as both finished pool play at 2-2.
