PEI HANGS TOUGH AT MIXED

TEAM PEI RALLIES FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WIN WITH LAST SHOT HEROICS 

In a six-game round robin, there isn’t a lot of room for a slow start. By the time at team gets comfortable, it might be too late to collect enough wins to move on. 

Such was the case for Team Prince Edward Island’s Tyler Smith. After losing their first three games, Smith was convinced that a 2024 Canadian Mixed Championship was out of reach. 

““We started 0-3 so I just kinda gave up on looking at the standings,” said Smith. “Maybe that’s better… we just started playing.” 

Since then, however, Smith (along with Jenny White, Edward White, and Lauren McFadyen) have strung together three wins, including a dramatic last shot victory over Quebec’s Don Bowser in Wednesday’s afternoon draw. 

Leading by one in the eighth end, Bowser played a hit-and-roll, but slid just a bit too far into the open exposing less than half a rock. Smith played a soft-weight hit and caught just enough of the shot stone to remove it, stick around for two, and claim the win. 

“We were really happy with today,” said Smith. “They’re close to the stop of the standings, so it was great to get a win against them.” 

With a 3-3 record, the team’s fate is now in the hands of the curling gods. While some teams still have one game left to play, Team P.E.I. will be scoreboard watching, checking win-loss permutations, last shot draw scores, and head-to-head records.  

“I really didn’t think we had a chance,” said Smith. “So even hearing that makes me feel a little better!” 

Depending on results involving teams from Northwest Territories, New Brunswick and Alberta, as many as four teams could be tied at 3-3. New Brunswick is facing Alberta in the final game of pool play. 

What is certain is that some teams have already punched their tickets to the Championship Pool. Saskatchewan’s Jason Ackerman and Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell sit 1-2 in the A group and will be advancing to the crossover round. Manitoba’s Ryan Wiebe and Quebec’s Bowser sit are through from the B Group. 

The top four teams from each pool will play four more games against the survivors from the other pool. The remaining three teams from the pool will play three more seeding games to help set the rankings for next year’s event. 

For up-to-date standings and scores, visit www.curling.ca/scoreboard. Streaming is available on Curling Canada’s YouTube  channel.