Team Canada draws to button to edge China

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This article was published 08/04/2011 (5489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

REGINA — History will record that Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton needed to draw a piece of the button Thursday morning to squeak out a 5-4 victory over China’s Yan Song Ji.

Wow, must have been a nail-biter eh?

Not so much. “We kind of lost interest out there, just because it was such a boring game and they weren’t going at it,” said the Team Canada skip. “They played to get to 10 (ends) and they got to 10.

“I’d rather lose 10-2 and call the right game then lose 3-2 and call a bad game. It’s kind of disappointing they’d do that.”

After falling behind 4-1 to Canada early, the Chinese battled back to tie the score 4-4, but then promptly reverted to a wide-open strategy that was inevitably doomed.

With Canada holding hammer in the ninth end and the score tied, the Chinese even threw their first rock into the house on purpose, a tactic that obviously led to the end being blanked and Canada holding the hammer in the tied game coming home.

The final result seemed preordained after that and Stoughton couldn’t help but wonder what Ji was thinking. “It’s like, ‘What are you doing?'” said Stoughton. “You have to try.”

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Team Canada second Reid Carruthers is playing in his first world curling championship at age 26 — and playing like he’s been doing this forever.

Carruthers was first in shooting percentage at his position heading into the final round-robin draw last night, boasting a sizzling 88 per cent average that was three points higher than his next closest competitor.

It all begged the question of Carruthers here yesterday — Do you have a grasp on just what a wild ride you are on right now?

“Definitely not a clue,” said Carruthers. “And I kind of want to keep it that way into Sunday. The more I think about it, the worse off I will be because I will start over-thinking things. I’m just trying to keep it cool and relax.”

Canada third John Mead said the play of Carruthers and lead Steve Gould has been critical to the team’s success here this week.

“We have to keep Steve and Reid playing really well,” said Mead. “If those guys continue to out-curl their opposition the way they have been and Jeff and I get to play aggressive shots, that’s what we need to do.”

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Scotland’s Tom Brewster and Canada’s Stoughton had nearly identical answers Thursday when they were asked what the secret is to beating each other in tonight’s 1 vs. 2 Page playoff game.

“If I told you,” laughed Brewster, “then he would know.”

And Stoughton?

“They read papers, I’m not telling you anything.”

Actually, Brewster did let slip with one piece of strategy for beating Canada tonight — a back-up plan concerning Canada lead Steve Gould in case the Scots can’t out-curl Canada.

“We just have to make more shots,” said Brewster. “Either that, or keep Stevie in The Patch.”

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca