Winnipeg squads take aim at spot in Brier next month

By: Jason Bell Posted: 9:47 PM CST Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 Last Modified: 11:19 PM CST Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018 | Updates

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Manitoba will double up its participation at the Brier national men’s curling championship next month — but which Winnipeg squad joins provincial champion Reid Carruthers of West St. Paul in the 16-team field remains to be seen.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/02/2018 (3156 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former two-time Manitoba champion Mike McEwen of Fort Rouge and Jason Gunnlaugson of the Granite will clash in a last-chance wild-card game in Regina on March 2 — the night before the Brier begins.

Both teams have confirmed to Curling Canada they’re in for the one-game showdown.

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Mike McEwen will meet Gunnlaugson in Regina for the last-chance wild-card game the night before the Brier begins. — TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Mike McEwen will meet Gunnlaugson in Regina for the last-chance wild-card game the night before the Brier begins.

It’s the same path Kerri Einarson of East St. Paul took to get into the main draw of the Scotties Canadian women’s championship in a revamped format of the national championships.

“We’re definitely going, and it’s all-Manitoba, so that’s definitely exciting,” Gunnlaugson said Sunday evening.

Gunnlaugson’s team, with Alex Forrest at third, Ian McMillan at second and lead Connor Njegovan, got a huge gift from Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday afternoon.

Down 5-2 after seven ends, Jacobs, the 2014 Olympic gold medallist, scored a deuce in the eighth and then stole singles in the ninth and 10th ends to narrowly defeat Tanner Horgan of Sudbury in the Northern Ontario final and qualify for yet another Brier.

Had Jacobs lost, his crew would have vaulted over Gunnlaugson in the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS)points race and into the ‘play-in’ game against McEwen.

McEwen, who lost to Carruthers eight days ago in Winkler in the Manitoba final, is well ahead in the CTRS ranking, while Gunnlaugson is fifth.

Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L. and Carruthers are third and fourth, respectively, but are already going to Regina, while No. 2 Kevin Koe of Alberta has Olympic gold in his sights and won’t be at the Brier.