For the first time since 1996, Prince Edward Island has beaten Ontario at the Tim Hortons Brier. On Monday, Tyler Smith of Crapaud, Prince Edward Island beat Ontario’s Mike McEwen 8-7. With the win, Prince Edward Island improved to two wins and one loss, while Ontario dropped to two wins and two losses. It was Prince Edward Island’s first of two games on Monday. They did lose to Team Canada’s Brad Gushue 8-6 in a nail biter on Monday night.
In Prince Edward Island’s win over Ontario, Smith had a big three-ender in the third end to take a 4-2 lead. After McEwen took a 6-5 lead after six ends, Prince Edward Island tied the game at six after seven ends. Then Smith had back-to-back steals in th eighth and ninth ends to take an 8-6 lead. In the ninth end, Ontario skip Mike McEwen had the chance to score a point and tie the game at seven, but did not want to lose the hammer. His strategy did not pay off, as he was unable to get his deuce in the 10th end for the tie or three points for the win.
In 1996 at the Labatt Brier in Kamloops, the Prince Edward Island team skipped by Peter MacDonald of Summerside, upset Ontario’s Bob Ingram 7-6. PEI ended up making the playoffs that year with a record of six wins and five losses.
Thee teams are currently undefeated. Kevin Koe’s Team Alberta and Brendan Bottcher’s first wildcard team are at four wins and zero losses, while Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone is at three wins and zero losses.
