Mark Kean exploded for a 7-0 lead in the opening end against Peter de Cruz of Switzerland on Thursday afternoon at the National Grand Slam of Curling in Ports Hawkesbury, N.S.
De Cruz has chipped away at the deficit but the Toronto rink held on to win 9-6 in seven ends.
In other National action, Team Easy Express made short work of Jim Cotter’s rink, scoring four in the first end and continued to add the offence to win 9-1 in fourth.
Mike McEwen stunned Jeff Stoughton with a 9-2 win in the fifth end. The two Manitoba rinks were locked in a 2-2 tie until McEwen scored three in the fourth and four in the fifth to seal the victory.
Kevin Koe opened with a 3-0 lead over Brad Gushue until the St. John’s native battled back to tie it in the fourth. Koe pulled ahead 6-3 in the fifth as the squad aims for a third consecutive win.
Toronto’s John Epping grabbed a 3-2 lead against Switzerland’s Sven Michel in the sixth and now leads by two in the eighth end.