OSHAWA, Ont. — Reid Carruthers scored a point in the final end to edge Mike McEwen 8-7 in an all-Winnipeg rink match during Draw 10 of the National on Friday morning.
Carruthers, the reigning Manitoba provincial champion, opened with hammer and earned a three-ender in the first. McEwen took two in the second, but Carruthers added a single in three and a steal of one in four to retake the three-point advantage.
McEwen, looking to defend the National title, got his three-count in five to knot it up 5-5. The two teams split deuces through the sixth and seventh ends to keep it squared. Carruthers held the hammer coming home and wrapped up the round-robin with a 3-1 record to advance.
Team McEwen fell to a 1-2 record and need a win over Team Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., in Draw 12 for a chance to stay in contention.
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Elsewhere, Jean-Michel Menard (1-2), of Quebec City, Que., iced a 7-2 victory in six ends over Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock, who finished at 0-4.
Julie Hastings (1-3), from Thornhill, Ont., ended her tournament on a high note with a 6-1 win in six ends versus EunJung Kim (1-2) of South Korea.
The National is the third stop — and second major — of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday evening at the General Motors Centre. Previously a men’s invitational, the National expanded this year to include a women’s division for the first time in the event’s history.
TV coverage of the National resumes today at noon ET / 9 a.m. PT on Sportsnet.
