Perfect Weekend!

Manitoba’s Team Einarson opens 2025 Scotties with pair of victories

Even as a four-time Canadian champion who stood on top of the podium the last time the Scotties Tournament of Hearts was played in Thunder Bay, Ont., it’s safe to say that Manitoba’s Team Kerri Einarson may be considered an underdog in the eyes of many curling fans.

So there was a small measure of satisfaction for Einarson and her team from Gimli, Man. — vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Karlee Burgess, lead Krysten Karwacki, alternate Lauren Lenentine and coach Reid Carruthers — stepped off the ice Sunday night at the Fort William Gardens having swept its opening-weekend assignments at the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

After a Saturday afternoon win over Newfoundland/Labrador’s Team Brooke Godsland, Team Einarson dispatched Team Bayly Scoffin of the Yukon 10-2 Sunday night.

There is plenty of work yet to be done here, but for a team that generated more publicity off the ice than on it this season due to lineup changes, the early momentum in Thunder Bay is appreciated, and just maybe has added to the motivation to prove yet again that Team Einarson is one of the world’s elite squads.

“Yeah, I guess a little bit,” said Einarson. “But what we’re really just focusing on this week is what’s in front of us. We’re just focusing on the five of us — six including Reid — and just really dialling into that and not worrying about anything else.

“We just keep going, and we have a lot of grit in us. We’ve been just going with the flow all year.”

It’s just the second event for this version of Team Einarson, with Burgess coming aboard last month and making her debut in the lineup at the Grand Slam WFG Masters in Guelph, Ont., to take over the spot vacated by Shannon Birchard, whose season was short-circuited by a knee injury.

“It’s amazing, and how supportive she is out there,” said Einarson of Burgess. “She’s always encouraging us, regardless of the outcome, and giving us feedback, and she’s fit in like a glove. Her rocks are easy to read, so it’s been great.”

Team Yukon, which had won in dramatic fashion earlier in Sunday when Scoffin made a hit for three in the 10th end to beat Nova Scotia’s Team Christina Black 9-8, couldn’t pull off a similar feat against the Manitobans.

Team Einarson opened with two in the first end and tacked on a stolen deuce in the second and one more in the third on the way to the victory. It was nailed down with a steal of three in the eighth end.

Einarson, with Sweeting, Birchard and Briane Harris (Karwacki was team alternate; Carruthers was coach) won the 2022 Scotties in Thunder Bay, and being back in the Fort Williams Gardens has brought back a flood of memories.

“Oh, it was nice (being back in the building),” said Einarson with a smile. “It was funny, because just before that game (against Yukon), I was (remembering seeing) my dad jump over the rails the last time we were here after we won, and I was just visioning that and seeing him celebrate. My mom attempted, too, but she was like, no. But yeah, it just brings back so many memories.”

In other Sunday night games, Manitoba’s Team Kate Cameron (2-1; Winnipeg) stole five in the sixth end en route to a 15-4 win over Newfoundland/Labrador (0-3; St. John’s); Ontario’s Team Danielle Inglis (2-1; Ottawa) was an 8-4 winner over Québec’s Team Laurie St-Georges (2-1; Laval-sur-le-Lac); and Nova Scotia skip Christina Black (2-1; Halifax) drew to the back of the four-foot for the winning point in the 10th end for a 7-6 triumph over Manitoba’s Team Kaitlyn Lawes (1-2).

The Northwest Territories’ Team Kerry Galusha (0-2; Yellowknife) had the Pool B bye on Sunday night.

The 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts continues Monday with draws at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/.

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.

For ticket information for the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, go to www.curling.ca/2025scotties/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2025scotties/nouvelles/?lang=fr