THE CANADIAN PRESS
VICTORIA — The hometown favourites have reached the final of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
B.C.’s Marla Mallett blew open a tight game with three points in the sixth end on the way to a 7-5 win over Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche in Friday night’s 1-versus-2 Page playoff game at the Canadian women’s curling championship.
The victory propels Mallett’s rink into Sunday’s final, while relegating Larouche to Saturday night’s semifinal.
There, Larouche will face the winner of Saturday’s 3-versus-4 Page playoff game between Canada’s Jennifer Jones and Saskatchewan’s Stefanie Lawton.
Mallett, who finished first in the round robin with an 8-3 record, played her trademark defensive style to near-perfection, waiting for the perfect time to strike.
That came in the sixth, after Larouche wrecked on her own guard with her first shot of the end.
Mallett drew to the four-foot with her first shot to lie three, and Larouche’s next takeout attempt left her rock exposed in the eight-foot.
Attempting a tricky runback for a possible five points, Mallett failed to clear both Quebec stones from the rings, but still sat three.
Mallett padded her lead with a two-point eighth end, then forced Larouche to settle for single points in the ninth and 10th ends to preserve the win.