Points were easy to come by at the CO-OP Tour Challenge in Nisku, Alta.
After adjusting the rules at the AMJ Masters, effectively getting rid of extra ends, the changes aimed to create a better product haven’t stopped. For the second Grand Slam of Curling event of the season, teams are only allowed to blank one end each during an eight end game — something everyone hoped would create more scoring.
And it did exactly that.
Through 128 ends played on Tuesday, only six ended with zeros on the board, leading to excitement all day long.
Tuesday’s results (Full scores and standings)
Draw 1
Kim 6, Lawes 5
Hasselborg 8, Tabata 6
Dunstone 8, Kleiter 3
Muskatewitz 6, Retornaz 5
Draw 2
Homan 7, X. Schwaller 5
Fujisawa 7, Ha 2
Carruthers 6, Y. Schwaller 5
Whyte 7, Waddell 6
Draw 3
Constantini 8, Yoshimura 4
Tirinzoni 9, Skrlik 4
Edin 6, McEwen 4
Epping 6, Dropkin 4
Draw 4
Gim 6, Wrana 5
Einarson 8, Black 2
Gushue 7, Hoesli 4
Mouat 5, Koe 4
Best match
Boy did Tier 1 miss Team Canada’s Reid Carruthers.
The world No. 24 was faced with a daunting task: Take on world No. 2 Team Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller in their first game back on the top tier.
After using his one and only blank in the first end, Carruthers was forced to take one in the second end. However, that didn’t faze his team as they stunned Schwaller in the third end, and got a steal of two to go up 3-0.
Schwaller wasn’t going to go down easy though, as he fought back and scored a deuce to cut the lead to one at the break.
From there all the momentum flipped to Schwaller’s team, as they would dominate the next three ends. Earning a force against Carruthers again in the fifth, Schwaller evened the game in the sixth end with yet another score of two, and would take the lead in the seventh end with a steal of one.
Just when it looked like Carruthers had let a potential win slip away, he and his team answered the bell in the eighth end, and left nothing except a near impossible in-off for Schwaller with his last stone.
Schwaller missed and Carruthers earned his first Tier 1 victory of the season.
Best shot and biggest momentum swing
Team Scotland’s Ross Whyte seemed to be carrying some bad mojo from their heartbreaking loss in the AMJ Masters finals vs. Team Canada’s Matt Dunstone into their first match at the CO-OP Tour Challenge against fellow countrymen Kyle Waddell.
At least until his mate, Robin Brydone, pulled them out of it.
With Whyte already trailing 5-4 in the sixth end and Waddell sitting two in the four foot, it didn’t look good from the hack for Brydone, especially considering the front was completely guarded off as well.
Luckily for Team Whyte, they did have two of their own rocks to work with. Only problem, though, was that one rock was just over the hog line and the other in the top 12.
With nothing to lose, Whyte and Brydone decided to attempt the runback.
And even though the distance between the first rock he hit and the next one felt like a year’s worth of time, he successfully made the double raised double takeout to leave Whyte sitting two.
From there it felt Whyte and his squad gained some confidence back as they went on to win 7-6.
Best sweep
It seems like this season Team Canada’s Rachel Homan has a new approach, keep games close and give false hope to the teams she’s facing before beating them with an impressive signature shot.
With the help of teammates, of course.
Tied 5-5 in the eighth end against Team Switzerland’s Xenia Schwaller, Homan was facing one with her final shot.
Needing to make a crazy angled runback to eliminate Schwaller’s rock, Homan’s longtime sidekick, Emma Miskew was put to the test.
As soon as the rock was out Homan’s hands, all you heard was “Off!”
But, as we all know in curling, the word ‘off’ never lasts.
It quickly turned into Homan roaring at the top of her lungs for Miskew to go “Hard!” and keep the rock on line. Miskew, the pro she is, did just that as Homan made the angled runback to score two and win the game.
Top player
Don’t let the Swede get hot.
Team Sweden’s Niklas Edin, the seven time world champion, came to play against Team Canada’s Mike McEwen.
Making shot after shot, it was easy to tell the veteran Edin was dialed-in from the start.
None was more impressive than his only shot in the eighth end though. Up by two, he could’ve elected to play the safe shot and eliminate one of McEwen’s rocks, but instead he went for the double to end it all.
And in typically Edin fashion he made the shot, but made in a way that looked way harder than it needed to be — rolling across the top, instead of underneath, to make the double.
Draws six, seven and eight are available Wednesday on Sportsnet+ starting at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT.
Featured matches
Gim vs. Lawes at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT
Retornaz vs. Koe at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT
Gushue vs. Kleiter at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT
Whyte vs. Epping at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT
