One step closer!

Nova Scotia, Alberta-Skrlik clinch Page 3-4 spots at 2025 Scotties

It’s familiar territory for one team, and uncharted waters for the other, and they’ll be going head to head at the Fort Williams Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont., seeking to keep their gold-medal hopes alive.

Nova Scotia’s Team Christina Black (Halifax) and Alberta’s Team Kayla Skrlik (Calgary) prevailed in their 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Page 3-4 qualifying round games Friday night, and, as a result, will face off Saturday at 1 p.m. (all times Eastern) in the Page 3-4 playoff game.

The winner moves on to Sunday’s 1 p.m. semifinal. The loser packs up for the trip home.

There’s still work to be done for both teams, but they’re thrilled to still be in contention in Thunder Bay after victories Friday night.

Black, backed up by vice-skip Jill Brothers, and rotating front-enders Jen Baxter, Karlee Everist and Marlee Powers and coach Stuart MacLean, will be appearing in the Page 3-4 game for the second time in three years after turning back B.C.’s Team Corryn Brown (Kamloops) 10-5.

Team Skrlik (rounded out by third Margot Flemming, second Ashton Skrlik, lead/vice-skip Geri-Lynn Ramsay, alternate Crystal Rumberg and coach Shannon Kleibrink), meanwhile, is into the final four for the first time after knocking off Ontario’s Team Danielle Inglis (Ottawa) 9-8.

The Nova Scotians, who bowed to eventual champs Team Canada (skipped by Kerri Einarson) 9-4 in the Page 3-4 game two years ago in Kamloops, led from start to finish over British Columbia, and the solid performance will give them confidence heading into Saturday’s showdown.

“A lot more (confidence than in 2023),” said Black, who lost 10-5 to Team Canada (skipped by Rachel Homan; Ottawa) in the Page 1-2 qualifying game earlier Friday. “Last time getting to the final four was a bit of a surprise, you know, and we had to go through a crazy day of curling (stealing points in an extra end twice to reach the Page 3-4 game) to get us there. This time we kind of expected to be in the final four, so it would have been disappointing if we weren’t.”

Nova Scotia came out aggressive and took two in the first end, and got a break in the second when Brown’s come-around tap for a potential three overcurled and wrecked on a guard, giving the Bluenosers a steal of one and all the momentum it needed against another team making its Scotties playoff debut.

“That was our plan,” said Black of the aggressive start. “We got to play earlier today and we’ve had a lot of good games in a row. That’s our plan — just take advantage. If someone makes a mistake, that’s where you really focus and capitalize and get the pressure on them. We just tried to keep pressure on them the entire game.”

Team Skrlik didn’t make the playoffs in its first Scotties in 2023 at Kamloops with a 4-4 record, and is savouring its first playoff experience in Thunder Bay.

“Oh my God, it’s so exciting. To win now, it means quite a bit to us,” said Skrlik, whose team bounced back nicely after losing 7-4 to Manitoba’s Team Kerri Einarson (Gimli) in the other Page 1-2 qualifying game earlier Friday. “This has been a goal of ours right from when we came together as a team to be in the playoffs for the Scotties. And now to be in the 3-4 game, we’re super, super excited to be there.”

Ontario took an first-end deuce, but Team Alberta-Skrlik fired back quickly, taking deuces in the second and fifth ends, and adding steals of one in the third and sixth ends while never opening the door to an Ontario comeback.

A three-ender in the eighth effectively sealed the deal for the Albertans, who have looked like anything but Scotties playoff rookies in Thunder Bay.

“Honestly, we (previously) played all the teams that we could play (in the playoffs),” said Skrlik. “Christina’s still in it, and then Rachel and Kerri; we played all those teams this year. That’s something that we’ve never quite done at a Scotties before is play these big teams. So we’ll just treat it like we treated them all year long. And it’ll be great.”

Big picture wise, Friday night’s victories did more than advance both teams into the final four of the 2025 Scotties; it put them on the verge of clinching berths into the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials next November in Halifax, where Canada’s four-player teams for the 2026 Winter Olympics will be decided.

Additionally, both teams are in strong position to nail down 2024-25 Canadian Team Ranking System berths into the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Mississauga, Ont.

And, yes, both teams are very aware of the implications of their performance in Thunder Bay so far.

“If I told you we didn’t have a spreadsheet going I’d be lying,” said Skrlik with a laugh. “We’ve tracked it most of the year. We’re looking for Scotties berths, we’re looking for Trials berths. So, yeah, this means quite a bit for our season and the points chase for all of our big goals.”

“(Before the game) I was like, ‘Girls, there is a lot of goodies on the line for that game,’ ” added a smiling Black. “Winning that game — I don’t have it worked out completely, I don’t have my spreadsheet open, but we’re pretty sure that might lock us in for a spot at the Trials, which would be amazing.”

Trials berths won’t be decided officially until the conclusion of the Grand Slam AMJ Players’ Championship April 8-13 in Toronto.

Later Saturday, it’s the Page 1-2 playoff between the two hottest teams of the 2025 Scotties — reigning Canadian and world champs Team Canada, undefeated in nine games here, and Team Manitoba-Einarson, who’s won five in a row and is seeking its fifth Scotties title in six years.

The winner goes straight to Sunday’s 7 p.m. gold-medal game; the loser will drop into Sunday’s semifinal against the winner of the Page 3-4 game.

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