Alberta finally got the start it was looking for in posting a resounding 11-3 win in just seven ends over Saskatchewan in Wednesday morning’s draw of the Tim Hortons Brier in London, Ont.
Kevin Martin opened with a steal of two in the first end, added a swipe of three in the third – after a blanked second end – and delivered a four-ender with his first chance with hammer in the fifth as he built up 5-0 and 9-2 leads on Steve Laycock.
Alberta moves to 7-1 in the standings ahead of Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton at 6-1 and Ontario’s Glenn Howard at 6-2, after losing 5-4 in an extra end to Northern Ontario’s Brad Jacobs. Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue is also 6-2 with a 9-3 win over Nova Scotia’s Shawn Adams.
Manitoba had the morning off and faces Saskatchewan in the afternoon before taking on Martin in the evening. At 7-1 Alberta has secured at minimum a tiebreaker.
“We played aggressive. There was more swing on the ice today. We were way out in middle-12 (foot) to get to the button, so it’s a lot more fun when you get that. You can really go after the other team,” said Martin, who left Saskatchewan last-rock thrower Pat Simmons in a heap.
Even when Simmons had something going, like in the second end when he was laying three, Martin turned it around.
“We were in trouble that end,” said Martin, who pulled off a wonderful triple to force a blank. “The odds aren’t real good on that one.”
Bad odds or not, Martin was in fine form not only on that effort, but the entire morning, curling 89 per cent personally and his team at 91 per cent. His alternate, Dustin Eckstrand, got into his second game and was perfect on the four rocks he threw after replacing lead Ben Hebert (93 per cent) at the break. Third John Morris and second Marc Kennedy were both 89 per cent.
“I think everybody is starting to feel good and comfortable,” said Martin. “It’s really hard to be on fire for 10 straight days – that’s not going to happen. We certainly weren’t, to begin with, so I guess things are improving.”
Simmons struggled at 64 per cent while his lead Dallan Muyres was a solid 96 per cent in the loss, which drops Saskatchewan to 4-4.
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