Gushue downs Carruthers to begin Co-op Canadian Open

NISKU, Alta. — Team Brad Gushue of St. John's, N.L., kicked off the Co-op Canadian Open with a 6-1 win over Winnipeg's Team Reid Carruthers on Tuesday morning at the Silent Ice Center.

It was the first Grand Slam of Curling game since Brendan Bottcher joined Team Gushue at second. The club parted ways with E.J. Harnden after last month's HearingLife Tour Challenge. Bottcher made his Team Gushue debut last week at the Pan Continental Curling Championships where the team finished fourth.

Gushue got out to a good start against Carruthers by drawing for a deuce in the second end to open the scoring. The 15-time Grand Slam title winner Gushue pulled off a great high-risk shot in the fourth end running back a Carruthers guard to remove two others that forced his opponent to draw for his single.

After Gushue made a hit and stick for one in the fifth, Carruthers attempted an angle raise in the sixth but misfired and took out his own stone to give up a steal of three. That iced the game early as Carruthers shook hands.

Meanwhile, Sweden's Team Niklas Edin scored three points in the first and third ends during an 8-3 victory over Scotland's Team James Craik.

Italy's Team Joël Retornaz defeated Team Kevin Koe of Calgary 9-3 and Scotland's Team Ross Whyte beat Switzerland's Team Michael Brunner 7-4 to wrap up the opening draw.

UP NEXT

Round-robin play continues with Draw 2 at 1:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. MT.

Coverage on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins Thursday at 2 p.m. ET / noon MT.

NOTES

The Co-op Canadian Open is the second Grand Slam of Curling event of the season featuring 16 of the top men's teams and 16 of the top women's teams from around the world. ... Round-robin play runs through to Friday evening. The top eight teams advance to the playoffs. If necessary, one tiebreaker draw will be played Saturday morning. ... The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday with both finals on tap Sunday.