Riders, Lions ready to clash in CFL West semifinal
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The Riders are hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2021.
Mike McEwen and Saskatchewan scored three or more points in three different ends Tuesday to get back in the win column at the 2024 Brier.
“You don’t want to fall back too quickly, so this was a really big game for us to rebound and keep that buffer — keep that win-loss buffer and the head-to-head (tiebreaker),” the Saskatchewan skip said.
In front of 3,305 fans at the Brandt Centre, Saskatchewan improved to 4-1 and remained in control of its destiny with an 11-6 win over Alberta’s Aaron Sluchinski. If McEwen and his teammates win out, they’ll claim top spot in Pool B.
McEwen and his rink — third Colton Flasch, second Kevin Marsh and lead Dan Marsh — needed the win after dropping a 7-4 game to Nova Scotia’s Matthew Manuel on Monday.
It looked like Tuesday’s game was heading in a different direction in the first end, with Sluchinski having an open draw for three to open the game.
“We were a little fired up. We should have had hammer and one of our guys missed the house and we were pretty fired up,” McEwen said. “(There were) a couple of throws that didn’t account for the ice early in the game.
“We really settled in and played a good seven ends after that first end. That’s not how you want to start a game but we’re not a team that dwells on things too long.”
McEwen answered right back with a triple of his own in the second end.
From there, Saskatchewan seemed settled in and only allowed singles in the third and fifth ends.
In the fourth end, McEwen was left with a draw for four which he put near the button. In the sixth, McEwen once again worked some magic as he made a double takeout for three.
The points kept coming for McEwen in the seventh, as he stole one to extend the lead.
In the eighth, Alberta put one more on the board but the teams shook hands to end the game.
Earlier in the day, Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone defeated New Brunswick’s James Grattan 9-6, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Andrew Symonds defeated Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin 6-5, Northern Ontario’s Trevor Bonot beat Ontario’s Scott Howard 10-6, and British Columbia’s Catlin Schneider edged Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers 9-8.
In the other afternoon games, Alberta’s Kevin Koe lost to Nova Scotia 11-5, Tyler Smith of Prince Edward Island defeated Quebec’s Julien Tremblay 10-5, and Canada’s Brad Gushue won 8-3 over Nunavut’s Shane Latimer.
The loss eliminates Koe from playoff contention.
It was another day with some upsets after a number of them on Monday.
“(From Monday) into (Tuesday) morning was the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. Alberta lost five games (Monday) — 0-5. That’s wild,” McEwen said. “(Carruthers rink skip Brad) Jacobs lost (Tuesday) morning. Every single seed except Matt Dunstone lost. The top six teams other than Dunstone lost. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that ever.”
Saskatchewan will meet Jamie Koe’s Northwest Territories rink (4-1) at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
“They are playing some of their best curling as a team. I expect them to give us a really good game, ” McEwen said. “Our B-game isn’t going to do it. We need our A-game and if we can do that, we will be OK.”