CHARLOTTETOWN — It was a rematch, but definitely not a repeat, of the world championship final between Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin and Canada’s Team Brad Gushue on Wednesday at the HearingLife Tour Challenge.
While Edin emerged victorious over Gushue again, this time by a 7-5 score, a bizarre incident occurred during the third end as condensation from the ceiling of the Bell Aliant Centre began dripping onto the sheet, leading to a lengthy delay of the game.
The game resumed with Grand Slam of Curling director of competition Pierre Charette holding a pan over the ice before a contraption was assembled to catch the drips.
“A human guard. When they threw the corner guard on that side too in the fourth end it was like, OK, we’ve got a guard on the middle of the sheet,” Team Edin third Oskar Eriksson said with a smile. “We were just trying to make sure we had as many shots on the other side of the sheet as possible during the ends. Still, we were making sure we were focused and reading the ice because it was changing, so it was a nice win.”
The first Grand Slam of Curling event of the season features a triple knockout format where teams must win three games before they lose three to advance to the playoffs. Edin improved to a 2-0 record and will play Team Bruce Mouat with a playoff berth on the line Thursday. Mouat’s Scottish squad brushed past Canada’s Team Kevin Koe 7-1.
“For sure it’s a tough field,” Eriksson said. “Every win is important here. With the triple knockout, now we have three chances to qualify. Playing Bruce Mouat tomorrow, it’s a big game. It looks like they’re shooting really good right now, so we’re going to have to step up a few levels to have a good chance to beat them.”
Edin got out to a hot start with an angle raise into a quarry of rocks in the first end and counted three points after the dust settled. Gushue got two back in the second, and Edin matched with a pair after play resumed following the delay.
The 15-time Grand Slam champion Gushue drew for two in the fourth. The teams alternated singles in the sixth and seventh ends as Edin took the hammer into the final frame. Gushue sat two rocks staggered, but Edin threw a heater to double them out and tack another point on the board.
Gushue (1-1) dropped into the B Event of the triple knockout brackets along with Koe, whose team is playing as three after parting ways with second Jacques Gauthier last week.
Canada’s Team Matt Dunstone (2-0) reached the other A-final with a 6-2 victory over Italy’s Team Joël Retornaz (1-1). Dunstone will play Team Brad Jacobs with a spot in the quarterfinals up for grabs.
In a B Event battle, Canada’s Team Mike McEwen (1-1) scored four in the sixth end to win 8-3 over Team Korey Dropkin of the United States.
Dropkin, who fell to the C Event at 0-2, is short-handed as second Mark Fenner is on the bench due to a hip injury.
UP NEXT
One more triple knockout draw is on tap Wednesday with Draw 8 at 8 p.m. AT / 7 p.m. ET.
Broadcast coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins Thursday at 12 p.m. AT / 11 a.m. ET.
NOTES
The HearingLife Tour Challenge features 64 of the best men’s and women’s teams from around the world split into two tiers. … Tier 2 winners receive invitations to the WFG Masters in January. … Eight teams in each division qualify for Saturday’s quarterfinals … The semifinals are also scheduled for Saturday with the finals set for Sunday.
