KINGSTON, ONT. — Prince Edward Island scored its second straight victory Monday night at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts – and knocked Saskatchewan out of first place in the process.
The Suzanne Birt rink of Shelly Bradley, Sarah Fullerton and Leslie MacDougall – on the strength of some terrific final shots by Birt in ends seven and nine – took out the previously undefeated team 12-7 in its only game of the day. It came on the heels of the team’s first victory late Sunday night, also by a 12-7 score, over Newfoundland and Labrador, skipped by Stacie Devereaux.
The two wins improved the rink’s record to 2-3 at the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship, taking place at the K-Rock Centre.
“We’re not that far off,” said coach Peter Gallant before the evening win, in reference to the team’s record and its quest for a playoff spot. Victories, he said, would give the team more confidence for the rest of the week.”
“Hopefully, the win gives us some momentumn for the rest of the week,” he added.
The squad had opened the event with three losses including a nail-biting 7-6 loss to Heather Nedohin and her Team Canada rink out of Alberta Sunday afternoon. The earlier losses came Saturday at the hands of New Brunswick’s Andrea Crawford, 11-5, and Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones by an 8-6 count in draw one.
After seven draws, the Birt foursome was tied for seventh place, and had the same amount of wins as two teams in a fifth place tie. Ontario, skipped by Rachel Homan, was in a three-way tie for first-place at 5-0. Also undefeated were the rinks of Manitoba, and Team Canada. Saskatchewan, skipped by Jill Shumay, dropped to fourth place at 4-1 following the loss to P.E.I. The top four teams at the end of the week advance to the playoff round for a shot at the national crown.
Gallant said it was a tough opening schedule against some of the top teams, and now the team is in a good spot to keep climbing. After losses to both Canada and Manitoba, and a win against Saskatchewan, most of the Birt foursome’s remaining games are against teams in a similar situation, trying to chase down a playoff spot.
The coach added the team will not look too far ahead throughout what can be a grueling week because every game is important. While there is no goal in mind for the number of wins to make playoffs, he admitted it will likely take at least seven wins.
Birt is making her seventh appearance at The Scotties at age 31, following a successful junior curling career in which she won back-to-back national titles (2001 and 2002) and one world championship. Her best finish at the women’s national championship came in her Scotties debut in 2003 when her squad finished 10-1 in the round robin before bowing out in the semi-final. It’s been a little tougher since then, with a combined 22-35 record including a 6-5 mark on home ice two years ago.
This is the fifth appearance for lead MacDougall, and the first trip to the women’s national championships for second Fullerton. Third Bradley is the veteran on the team, marking her ninth tour on the national stage, including three years as an alternate.
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THE CANADIAN PRESS
KINGSTON, Ont. — Standings Monday following the seventh draw of the 2013 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Canadian women’s curling championship, to be held through Feb. 24 at the K-Rock Centre (all times Eastern):
Province (Skip) W L
Ontario (Homan) 5 0
Manitoba (J.Jones) 5 0
Canada (Nedohin) 5 0
Saskatchewan (Shumay) 4 1
B.C. (Scott) 2 2
Quebec (Ross) 2 2
P.E.I. (Birt) 2 3
New Brunswick (Crawford) 2 3
NWT/Yukon (Galusha) 1 4
Alberta (K.Moore) 0 4
Nova Scotia (Arsenault) 0 4
N.L. (S.Devereaux) 0 5
Monday’s results
Sixth Draw
Canada 12 Quebec 2
Manitoba 11 Nova Scotia 4
Ontario 9 British Columbia 8 (extra end)
Saskatchewan 7 Alberta 6
Seventh Draw
Ontario 7 New Brunswick 5
Canada 10 Newfoundland & Labrador 3
Prince Edward Island 12 Saskatchewan 7
Manitoba 9 NWT/Yukon 1
———
Sunday’s results
Third Draw
Canada 7 Nova Scotia 6
Manitoba 10 British Columbia 4
Ontario 9 Alberta 5
Saskatchewan 12 Quebec 5
Fourth Draw
Manitoba 9 Newfoundland & Labrador 1
Canada 6 Prince Edward Island 5
Saskatchewan 10 New Brunswick 5
Ontario 9 NWT/Yukon 2
Fifth Draw
British Columbia 9 Nova Scotia 4
New Brunswick 9 NWT/Yukon 5
Quebec 9 Alberta 6
Prince Edward Island 12 Newfoundland & Labrador 7
———
Tuesday’s games
Eighth Draw, 2 p.m.
Alberta vs. Newfoundland & Labrador; British Columbia vs. New Brunswick; Nova Scotia vs. NWT/Yukon; Quebec vs. Prince Edward Island.
Ninth Draw, 7 p.m.
Saskatchewan vs. Nova Scotia; Ontario vs. Quebec; Alberta vs. Manitoba; British Columbia vs. Canada.
———
Wednesday’s games
Draw 10, 2 p.m.
Canada vs. Manitoba; NWT/Yukon vs. Prince Edward Island; Newfoundland & Labrador vs. New Brunswick; Saskatchewan vs. Ontario.
Draw 11, 7 p.m.
NWT/Yukon vs. Alberta; Nova Scotia vs. Newfoundland & Labrador; British Columbia vs. Prince Edward Island; New Brunswick vs. Quebec.
———
Thursday’s games
Draw 12, 9 a.m.
Saskatchewan vs. Canada, Manitoba vs. Ontario.
Draw 13, 2 p.m.
Nova Scotia vs. Prince Edward Island; New Brunswick vs. Alberta; NWT/Yukon vs. Quebec; Newfoundland & Labrador vs. British Columbia.
Draw 14, 7:30 p.m.
British Columbia vs. Saskatchewan; Quebec vs. Manitoba; Alberta vs. Canada; Ontario vs. Nova Scotia.
———
Friday’s games
Draw 15, 9 a.m.
Newfoundland & Labrador vs. Quebec; British Columbia vs. NWT/Yukon; New Brunswick vs. Nova Scotia; Prince Edward Island vs. Alberta.
Draw 16, 2 p.m.
Manitoba vs. New Brunswick; Prince Edward Island vs. Ontario; Saskatchewan vs. Newfoundland & Labrador; Canada vs. NWT/Yukon.
Draw 17, 7:30 p.m.
Ontario vs. Canada; Alberta vs. Nova Scotia; Quebec vs. British Columbia; Manitoba vs. Saskatchewan.
End of Round Robin
———
PLAYOFFS
Saturday, Feb. 23
If No Tiebreakers Are Required
Page Playoffs — One vs. Two, 2 p.m.
Page Playoffs — Three vs. Four, 7 p.m.
If Tiebreakers Are Required
Tiebreaker, 9 a.m.
Page Playoffs — One vs. Two, 2 p.m.
Page Playoffs — Three vs. Four, 7 p.m.
Note: if two tiebreakers are required, the second will be played at 2 p.m.
——
Sunday, Feb. 24
Semifinal
One-Two loser vs. Three-Four winner, 9 a.m.
Third Place
Three-Four loser vs. Semifinal loser, 2 p.m.
Championship
One-Two winner vs. Semifinal winner, 7 p.m.
