Stoughton steals way to playoffs

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This article was published 10/12/2009 (6066 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON – The curling gods who were so mean to Jeff Stoughton earlier in the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials have granted him a break.

And it will go a long way to helping him secure a playoff berth in the ‘The Roar of the Rings.’

Down 5-1 after four ends and trailing 6-5 in the ninth without hammer, Stoughton stole in the 10th end to tie the game and then stole again in the extra end in an improbable 7-6 win over Wayne Middaugh. Of course, it helped that Middaugh wrecked on a guard in the 10th end and then was heavy on a draw in the extra end to hand over what should have been a win for the Toronto-based team.

“We were fortunate Wayne came in a little heavy on his last one. But we’re going to take it because we haven’t had many good breaks go for us. That was our first big one and we needed it,” said Stoughton. “I honestly didn’t think he’d miss that (in the 10th). I was getting the broom bag out. I was surprised he threw it that light.”

Earlier in the week Stoughton was heavy a draw for a win over Glenn Howard in the first game of the round-robin and had two rocks pick in the eighth end of a loss to Kevin Martin, his only two losses in the event. Consider Thursday morning’s turn of events pay back, then.

The victory improves Stoughton’s record to 4-2, in third spot in the standings behind Glenn Howard, 6-0, and Kevin Martin, 5-1, both of whom also won on Thursday’s morning draw. Stoughton faces Pat Simmons, 2-4, in the final game of the round robin this evening and a win would lock up one of the three playoff spots.

“We haven’t had much go our way, so this is great,” said Stoughton. “Now we’ll take it from here. If we win our last game we’re in the semis, so it’s a great position to be in for sure. We’re going to have to play better. We stunk the joint out in the first four ends, all four of us. We can’t do that tonight.”

Meanwhile, Beausejour’s Jason Gunnlaugson dropped his sixth straight game, falling 6-2 to Simmons. He winds up the round-robin Thursday night against Middaugh.

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Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones is on the ice Thursday afternoon against Shannon Kleibrink, needing a victory and some help in order to keep her fleeting playoff hopes alive.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca