Team Saskatchewan clinches first in Pool play at Montana’s Brier

Every year, they come to Montana’s Brier, presented by AGI, with high hopes, these green-clad curlers, and every year, they come short of the main prize.

The biggest Montana’s Brier baffle during the past four-plus decades has been Saskatchewan’s failure to win the Canadian men’s curling championship.

But could this be the year? It certainly has a promising outlook, with skip Mike McEwen and his Team Saskatchewan (6-1, Saskatoon) plowing a deep furrow toward the title in Regina.

The home-town favourites at the Brandt Centre in Regina took a giant step forward Wednesday evening by clinching the top spot in Pool B play by defeating Team Nunavut (1-6, Iqaluit), skipped by Shane Latimer, 9-3 in eight ends.

The win advances McEwen and his outfit from the Nutana Curling Club into Friday’s Page 1v2 qualifier game.

A Montana’s Brier win would be huge for the province of Saskatchewan. Saskatoon’s Rick Folk was the last to do it in 1980, 43 years ago. 

Ironically, it could be a Manitoban who ends the drought. McEwen, from Winnipeg, is an import on the team. 

McEwen has no intention of letting his foot off the gas with one more game on Thursday against Quebec.

“Tomorrow’s still a big game,” he said. “There’s a lot of new rules I have to look up, there’s hammer choice implications depending on your record so we want to finish 7-1. Even though we’re straight in, first place, we’re going to play hard tomorrow. I want to enter Friday playing really well.”

Winning has put some wind under McEwen’s sails.

“I was beat after the weekend,” he said. “Almost questioned myself if I could do it for seven more days. Friday through Sunday we had three really tough games. Now I feel rejuvenated. I feel really good at this point.

“I feel the same desire to win my first Brier. Playing at home just enriches and makes the experience that much better.”

Team Saskatchewan hit the ground running, grabbing a 7-1 lead after five ends and then coasting the rest of the way.

First place may be gone in the pool but several teams were still fighting the final two spots.

When the smoke had cleared from the evening draw, two teams were tied for second place with 5-2 records, including Team Prince Edward Island (Crapaud), skipped by Tyler Smith, and skip Brad Gushue’s defending champions Team Canada (St. John’s, N.L.), which had the evening bye.

Right behind them with three losses are Team Alberta-Sluchinski and Team Northwest Territories.

It will take the final day of play Thursday to untangle the front-runners and declare the final two playoff qualifiers in the pool. Any ties will be decided by head-to-head and last-stone draw results.

Smith and his young team from Prince Edward Island continued to impress with their poise, defeating four-time Canadian and two-time world champion Kevin Koe, skipping Team Alberta-Koe (1-6, Calgary), to a 9-3 victory in eight ends.

Skip Aaron Sluchinski’s Team Alberta-Sluchinski (4-3, Airdrie) remained in the hunt with a 10-4 victory over Team Northwest Territories (4-3, Yellowknife), skipped by Jamie Koe. Both teams are still in the hunt for the playoffs. 

In the other game on the Pool B docket, Team Nova Scotia (4-4, Halifax), skipped by Matthew Manuel, finished its schedule with a 6-5 victory over skip Julien Tremblay’s Team Quebec (2-5, Etchemin/Kenogami/Chicoutimi/Victoria).

The 2024 Montana’s Brier continues Thursday with draws at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Central Standard).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2024 Montana’s Brier are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/

TSN and RDS will provide complete coverage of the 2024 Montana’s Brier. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule. Live coverage is also available for international streaming on TSN’s YouTube channel.