It looked like Sunday’s Ontario Tankard semifinal between Toronto’s John Epping and Wayne Tuck Jr. of Brantford was over after only four ends.
Epping jumped out to an early 6-1 lead thanks to a three-ender in the second followed by back-to-back steals to add another trio of points to his total.
But Tuck took control from there rallying for a stunning 9-7 upset victory over the three-time Grand Slam winner.
Tuck, ranked 71st on the World Curling Tour’s Order of Merit, advances to the championship game in Cobourg against Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene. The winner will represent Ontario next month at the Tim Hortons Brier in St. John’s, N.L.
Tuck scored three in the fifth end to kickstart the comeback and forced Epping to a lone point in six. That would be the only offence from there for Epping as Tuck matched with a single in seven and then rode the steal train into the final.
Epping looked to make a double in the eighth, but jammed to give up one and his last in the ninth picked to concede another point to tie it 7-7 heading into the final frame.
Facing two counters coming home, Epping’s last rock was just a little wide off the path to the shot stone and went through the house.
Epping, who finished runner-up at the past two provincials, was running hot through the round robin posting an 8-1 record to clinch the top spot in the playoffs. Howard finished second in the standings at 6-3 and defeated Epping 10-6 in the 1-2 Page playoff Saturday by stealing five points over the final two ends.
Howard edged Epping in last year’s final to capture his 16th career Tankard title.
