Stoughton, Koe advance to Canadian Open semifinals
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton and Calgary’s Kevin Koe advanced to the Canadian Open semifinals Saturday.
Stoughton scored a 6-5 victory over Toronto’s Mark Kean while Koe ousted Rob Rumfeldt of Guelph, Ont., 7-4 during the second round of quarterfinal matchups.
Tied 4-4, the four-time Grand Slam champion Stoughton took the lead in the sixth and swiped another point in the seventh as Kean could only muster one in the final frame with the hammer when his runback attempt to remove a counter buried in the back of the 12-foot circle failed. The teams traded deuces in the first and second ends and again in the fourth and fifth.
Meanwhile, Koe snapped a 4-4 deadlock with a three-ender in the seventh.
Stoughton advances to play Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., in the evening semifinals and Koe clashes with defending champion Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont.
Gushue eliminated Edmonton’s Kevin Martin 7-4 and Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., topped Toronto’s John Epping 6-3 earlier Saturday for their semifinals spots as top seeds Kean and Koe awaited the results of two tiebreakers. Stoughton defeated Peter de Cruz of Switzerland 6-4 and Rumfeldt edged Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen 7-6 with both games requiring extra ends to qualify.
