Playoffs unlikely for Manitoba at Brier

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 6:13 PM CST Thursday, Mar. 5, 2015

CALGARY — Manitoba’s playoff hopes at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier are clinging by a thread.

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CALGARY — Manitoba’s playoff hopes at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier are clinging by a thread.

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CALGARY — Manitoba’s playoff hopes at the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier are clinging by a thread.

Manitoba skip Reid Carruthers and his foursome recorded their third loss in their last four games Thursday afternoon, falling 8-7 to Ontario’s Mark Kean.

With the loss, Manitoba is now 4-5 with two round-robin games still to play — Thursday night versus Alberta (4-5) and Friday morning versus PEI (4-6).

Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Manitoba skip Reid Carruthers, centre, watches his shot during curling action against Ontario at the Brier in Calgary Thursday. — Jeff McIntosh / THE CANADIAN PRESS Manitoba skip Reid Carruthers, centre, watches his shot during curling action against Ontario at the Brier in Calgary Thursday.

Manitoba has not yet been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but they will need everything to go right from here on. First, they’ll have to win both their final two round-robin games to finish 6-5. And then, they’ll need fourth-place Saskatchewan (6-3) to lose both their final two round-robin games.

Only in that scenario would Manitoba advance to a tiebreaker game; any other result and Carruthers will be eliminated.

Not surprisingly, Carruthers wasn’t optimistic Thursday following the loss to Ontario when he was asked if he remained hopeful. “Not really. I’m not sure if we’re mathematically eliminated yet but a brutal feeling to say the least,” said Carruthers.

The Carruthers foursome would be the first Manitoba team to miss the Brier playoffs since 2010, and just the fourth since 2005.

One-half of the Brier playoff picture has already been determined — Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs (9-1) will play Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue (8-2) Friday night in the 1-2 game. Team Canada’s John Morris (7-3) is alone in third place and has clinched no worse than a tiebreaker game, while Saskatchewan at 6-3 control their own playoff destiny.