Robert Campbell scored deuces in the third and fifth ends to defeat Jamie Newson 6-5 Wednesday to improve to 2-0 after the opening day of the Tankard provincial men’s curling championship.
He is tied with Robert Shaw (2-0) at the 10-team, triple-knockout event at the Crapaud Community Curling Club. Both teams are from the Charlottetown Curling Complex.
"It's really important to get a couple of wins. There's some good teams there," Campbell said. "It gives us confidence going into another day."
Campbell and Newson (Charlottetown) were tied 4-4 through seven ends. The teams traded singles before Campbell drew to the button for one in the 10th for the victory.
"He made a lot of good shots late in the game," Campbell said. "He kept putting the pressure on us. It had to come down to the last shot, so we were fortunate to make it."
Campbell defeated Mel Bernard (Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club) 7-4 in the opening draw powered by deuces in the third and sixth ends.
Campbell plays Eddie MacKenzie in today’s 1:30 p.m. draw.
MacKenzie scored triples in the first and fourth and cruised to an 8-1 win in six ends over Allan Inman. It was his only game of the day.
“It’s important to start well,” said the Charlottetown Curling Club skip. “It’s good to get off to a good start in the game and the tournament.”
Shaw was trailing Blair Weeks (Charlottetown) 4-3 through eight ends but put four on the board in the ninth and the teams shook hands afterwards in the afternoon draw.
Shaw withstood a late charge by defending champ Mike Gaudet (Charlottetown) in the evening draw to win 5-4. Leading 5-1 through seven, Shaw gave up a single in the eighth and a deuce in the ninth before blanking the final end for the victory.
Inman, representing the host club, fell to 0-2 after dropping the night draw 14-6 to Bernard. Bernard scored five in the third, triples in the seventh and eighth, a deuce in the first and a single in the fifth.
Ted MacFadyen’s rink from Cornwall is also 0-2 after losing 7-4 to Rod MacDonald and 9-1 to Weeks in seven ends.
The Page playoffs begin Saturday at 4 p.m. with the final slated for 4 p.m. Sunday.
The winner advances to the Tim Hortons Brier March 2 to 10 in Edmonton.
