I had to ask someone today what day it was – not a good thing when I found out it was only Monday!

Yep, it’s Monday and Day 3 at the Tim Hortons Brier in the lovely seaside city of Halifax. And I think it is lovely outside but really have no idea as I haven’t seen the light of day since 9am this morning. But that’s what you get for being a worker-bee at the Brier plus moonlighting for the CurlingZone and now the Tankard Times. The latter is all my fault – took an idea to Larry Wood this afternoon and he threw it back at me and told me to run with it. So forgive me if I didn’t pay a huge amount of attention to the afternoon draw as I was trying to juggle the creative side with the analytical side!

Spent the morning draw (Draw #6) scoring the television game between Brad Gushue and Ian Fitzner LeBlanc. Gushue was “on” in this game – not totally perfect but definitely in charge. NS struggled in the third and skip position. They need to get their confidence back to come out with heads held high in their next game in Draw #8 – but they are going to have to do some serious work as the game is against  “oh so hot” Howard.

After five ends, the game was still manageable for NS with NL leading 6-3. However a steal of 1 in the 6th end and another stunning steal of 3 in the 7th end pretty much dashed any hopes of NS being able to come back against Gushue and the boys. So it was another deflating defeat for Fitzner LeBlanc with a final score of 10-3

In the other Monday morning game, two powerhouse teams squared off in BC and Alberta. Both Jeff Richard and Kevin Koe were in fine game form with equal exchanges of 2 points through 5 ends (with a blank thrown in for good measure), then ones for a total of 5-5 after 8.  But the point on 8 came from a dramatic steeply angled distance raise/tick/takeout removing a well guarded BC stone locked on the four foot. I think we need a new code for scoring for the HM shot (Hail Mary)!

End 9 had the closest measure for the second shot I have ever seen – it had to be done 3 times by the officials and the dial only moved about 1.5 marks (not sure what the little thingey markings on the micrometer are called – its a chick thing!).  Jeff Richard had made a great in-off shot and held his breath during the measurement.  And Jeff continued with his great shot making in the 10th – ending with a great skinny double to end Kevin’s chances to tie. So it goes in the record books for a final of 7-5 and Alberta had its first loss.

With a quick trip to the Patch to do an interview and of course chat with Patch buddies, it was suddenly time for Draw #7……..did I mention the blur it is around here?

It was a lazy afternoon at the Brier, the crowd was quiet and somewhat subdued. There were the occasional cries of “Saskatchewaaaaaannn” to break the murmuring silence. Where were all the people?  Could be at the hotel resting, out shopping, having a leisurely lunch and oh yeah, some of them have jobs and just couldn’t justify sneaking away from work this early in the week – betcha they’ll save that for Thursday and any tiebreaker draws on Friday.

The match-ups for this draw saw McKee against Brad Jacobs, Jamie Koe playing Rod MacDonald, and    Jeff Stoughton matching against Serge Reid.

Whoops, almost forgot the most interesting game on the draw – not only for those wishing to predict outcomes but for the fact that Glenn Howard was playing against his nephew. Not only that but up in the broadcasting booth was Brother/Dad calling the game!  Definitely a unique moment for the Brier history books.
Let’s start with that match-up – tight the entire game until Glenn cracks a big 3 in the 8th end. James Grattan replies with a 1 in the 9th end but it just wasn’t enough to mount a recovery and Glenn happily ran NB out of rocks in the 10th for a final of 7-4.  And the groove continues……. Glenn Howard and the boys extend their winning streak to 5-0.

Jamie Koe’s game against  Rod MacDonald was a chance for both teams to gain a win – an important win it would be because it would mean someone would be out of the basement party at the Halifax Brier. And PEI turned out to be the dominant one with a commanding lead of 6-1 after the halfway point. Jamie tries to rebound with a score of 2 in the 6th but Roddy just wasn’t to be swayed and popped back with a 3 in the 7th.  Just way too much for Jamie to handle and he packed it in, yet again, when it became 9-3.

Meanwhile on Sheet D, Jeff Stoughton and Serge Reid battled it out. Reid and his rookie Brier team were playing well and holding their own until Jeff stole an all important 2 in the 6th end to lead 6-2. Taking a 1 in the7th couldn’t stop the steam roller effect of Stoughton and yet another game end early with a final of 6-3. That puts Manitoba to a 4-1 record and sitting exactly where they would like to be close to the top of the leaderboard.

The Saskatchewan / Northern Ontario game was honestly the closest one on the ice. With well played shots being exchanged, Brad Jacobs was up 1 coming home with last rock and didn’t have to throw his last brick – the stage was set with a final of 7-6 for NONT. Sorry, just don’t like the shortening of the original abbreviation to NO – just doesn’t seem right to go around with NO on your back unless you are advertising a drug awareness program! Just my opinion……. course the argument could be made for Ontario and their abbreviation of “ON” - word of wisdom because they are definitely “on”.

I digress……….. and it is on to Draw #8 ( I think this is where I asked someone what day it is…..)

The Monday night crowd is good, great group in the Patch to keep the beer flowing, and I missed the first almost hour of the game because I was talking to some curling people I hadn’t seen in literally years. Its been that kind of day around here – having heart to hearts with people that I realize I have missed so very much….

Glenn Howard is back on the ice – this time against Nova Scotia. Leading 4-1 after 3, Howard forces Ian to a clutch draw against 2 in the 4th. Making it boosts Ian Fitzner LeBlanc but the air is once again let out of their tires as Glenn comes back with a 2 in the 5th and a steal of 1 in the 6th. In the 7th end, there is switch of players to allow both teams to ice their fifth – Mark Robar goes in while Kent Smith sits it out and Steve Bice kicks Craig Savill aside to get his feet wet (so to speak) on Halifax ice. But the magic continues for the “ON” rink and they emerge with a 9-3 score maintaining their perfect record.

The battle of the Atlantic saw Gushue up against PEI’s Rod MacDonald (just fresh off his first win). The game was a tight one but the 5th end saw some great shots. Roddy ticked on a double sttempt on his first shot of the end/Brad sucks another one into the four foot, then Roddy replies with an incredible triple to score his 1 – happy PEI team and a responding happy crowd to a great shot.  But the Gushue team was steady and unstoppable taking 2 in the 8th and stealing 1 in the 9th to force the handshakes for a final of 7-3. And they join the favoured teams at the top of the leaderboard to be 4 and 1.

Sheet C was QC against BC and after the halfway mark and a lead of 1 by Serge Reid, the 6th end got a little messy. There were missed opportunities galore by Quebec as they were laying a pile of red rocks but just couldn’t get their 3 final stones in the right places to protect the button. Jeff made a perfect freeze on his last and Serge only had a very tricky tap for his 1. Made it but it could have been a bundle. The 9th end sees Jeff make another perfect tap back of a fully buried Quebec stone to take his 1. Tied coming home, Serge makes his draw for 2 on a great shot – and Team Quebec is celebrating with the 3 and 2 standing.

The last game was Kevin Koe  up against Darrel McKee from Saskatchewan. There were some significant shots – Koe flashing a draw for 2 in the 4th – delicate doubles on the 4 ft. by McKee – and arguably the Shot of the Day from Kevin. He actually cracked a smile when he made a far outside in/off to pick a Saskatchewan rock off the button to lie 3!!  Personally I think the smile was more outstanding than the shot but TSN and the crowd might disagree with me…….

The 8th end saw Kevin take a crucial 3 (this seems to be a recurring theme in this week’s Brier so far – scoring 3 in the 8th – must be something in the salt air) and McKee just couldn’t recover and actually didn’t even throw his last rock to possibly score 1 in the 9th end……. not sure about that move.

Well, let’s see – it is midnight here and I am the last one left in the arena again – becoming a habit!  I think I’ll head to the Patch to take the chill off…………see you tomorrow!

Meg Wallace
CurlingZone.com