Team Canada advances to the final of the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier

Brad Gushue (with permission)

Team Canada’s Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland is in the final of the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier in London, Ontario. On Saturday evening at the Budweiser Gardens, Gushue won the 1-2 page playoff game by beating Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg, by a score of 5-4.

Dunstone had the opportunity to win the game in the 10th end, but his rock rolled too far in a takeout attempt. As a result, Gushue, the Canadian Olympic gold medalist from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, stole a point for the one-point win. Dunstone will now have to face Brendan Bottcher’s Alberta-based Wildcard Team on Sunday afternoon in the semifinals. He is still looking for his first Brier win of his career.

Due to the fact Dunstone lost on Saturday, it means there will be no undefeated team at the 2023 Tim Hortons Brier. The last time there was an unbeaten team at the Brier came in 2019 in Brandon, Manitoba when Alberta’s Kevin Koe was a perfect 13 wins and zero losses.

Bottcher won the 3-4 game on Saturday afternoon by beating Ontario’s Mike McEwen 6-3. Team Wildcard third Marc Kennedy struggled earlier in the week, but curled an exceptional 90% in the contest. Lead Ben Hebert led Alberta by curling 96%.

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