It can’t really be explained. It’s just the way it goes sometimes.
On Tuesday night, in their opening game at the Meridian Canadian Open in North Battleford, Sask., Brad Gushue and each member of his St. John’s rink handily outpointed their counterparts … at least as far as shooting percentages go.
But on the scoreboard, the only thing that really matters, Gushue lost 5-4 in an extra end to Ontario veteran Glenn Howard, who has seem to become the Newfoundlander’s particular nemesis this 2018-19 curling season.
In Wednesday afternoon’s draw at the Pinty Grand Slam of Curling event, things were turned around, with Gushue, third Brad Nichols and second Brett Gallant all outpointed by their opposite numbers on Jason Gunnlaugson’s Winnipeg team.
Only Gushue lead Geoff Walker prevailed head-to-head.
But in this one, it was Gushue coming out on top in a 4-3 extra-end decision,
Gunnlaugson had a shot at a win in the eighth end, but failed in a draw attempt to score two. That left the game tied and Gushue owning last-rock advantage in the extra end, where he made the most of it, scoring the winning point with a final-shot draw.
This is a triple-knockout event, where teams must win three games before they lose three in order to advance to the playoffs. With a single loss, Gushue and his two-time defending Brier champions are now in the B bracket and will face Scott McDonald of Kingston, Ont., also with a 1-1 record, in today’s lunchtime draw.
That also happens to be the first televised draw, with Sportsnet begins its broadcast schedule today.
The semifinals in this, the fifth event of the 2018-19 Grand Slam schedule, will also be held on Saturday. The finals are set for Sunday.
