Luck, divine intervention give Gunnlaugson a pair of wins

By: Jason Bell Posted: 10:11 PM CST Sunday, Mar. 1, 2020 Last Modified: 12:15 AM CST Monday, Mar. 2, 2020 | Updates

KINGSTON, Ont. — Slipping by the newcomers from Quebec required a fair bit of luck Sunday afternoon. Dodging the world’s finest team on the next draw was more like divine intervention.

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KINGSTON, Ont. — Slipping by the newcomers from Quebec required a fair bit of luck Sunday afternoon. Dodging the world’s finest team on the next draw was more like divine intervention.

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KINGSTON, Ont. — Slipping by the newcomers from Quebec required a fair bit of luck Sunday afternoon. Dodging the world’s finest team on the next draw was more like divine intervention.

After 10 ends, 160 rocks and three spine-tingling measures, Manitoba’s Jason Gunnlaugson stashed away a brilliant 6-5 victory over Brad Jacobs of Northern Ontario Sunday night, closing out Day 2 of the Canadian men’s curling championship.

The difference between an outright win and an extra end came down to a fraction of a millimetre.

Team Manitoba skip Jason Gunnlaugson delivers while taking on Quebec at the Brier in Kingston, Ont., on Sunday, March 1, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press)

“A mission from (above), that type of victory,” said Manitoba second Adam Casey. “That game was tight, back and forth.”

Down 5-4 to Jacobs, Gunnlaugson’s troupe from the Morris Curling Club blanked three consecutive ends and then scored a decisive deuce coming home, capping off a two-for-two day to up its record to 2-1 in Pool B.

The Jacobs squad dropped to 1-2, behind Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher (3-0), Manitoba (2-1) and Brad Gushue of Newfoundland-Labrador (2-1). Earlier in the day, Manitoba stole a pair in the final end to post a come-from-behind 10-8 stunner over Alek Bédard of Quebec (0-2).

A nose hit of a rock in the back eight-foot by Gunnlaugson assured Manitoba at least a game-tying one in the final end. Three times an official put a measuring stick to a pair of rocks in the side eight-foot, including twice by Curling Canada chief umpire Brent Waldroff, with Casey and Northern Ontario third Marc Kennedy hovering.

Team ‘Toba put up sensational numbers, a must against Jacobs, the World Curling Federation’s top-ranked team and winner of three straight Grand Slam events this season. Collectively, Manitoba curled 88 per cent, keeping pace with Jacobs, Kennedy and brothers E.J. and Ryan Harnden on the front end, who curled a combined 87 per cent.

Gunnlaugson barely missed at all, firing at 95 per cent, 14 points higher than Jacobs. The 2014 Olympic gold medallist made the shot of the game with a wide angle run for three to take a 5-4 lead in the sixth end.

Manitoba blanked the next three ends to retain hammer for the 10th.

Team Quebec skip Alek Bedard, middle, back, watches his delivery as they take on Manitoba. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press)

“I didn’t even look at the rocks. Casey’s got a job, he did the job. He told me it was 66 per cent (for Manitoba), I said, ‘‘That’s good enough.’ It worked out,” said Gunnlaugson, adding he had no issue with Kennedy requesting another measure after an official pointed to Manitoba’s yellow stone.

“We would do the same thing. We want it to be right. It was handled really well. Why wouldn’t you have the head official in there? That was awesome.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell