The Jeff Gartner rink from the Regina Fire Department had been in first place for much of the week at the 50th annual Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship at the Charlottetown Curling Club, but didn’t have the crucial final stone coming home in today’s championship game against Northern Ontario’s Jeff Zechner foursome from the Nipigon Fire Department. Down to skips rocks in the tenth with the game tied 6-6, Northern Ontario had shot stone at the edge of the four foot. Gartner played a hit and stick with his first rock to lie two. Zechner hit and stuck for shot, and Saskatchewan attempted a nose hit, but hit it thin and the shooter rolled out. With their final stone, the Northern Ontario rink needed to draw to the four foot against one Saskatchewan counter, but the shot was heavy, and Saskatchewan stole a 7-6 win and the Hydrant Trophy.
Other members of the winning Saskatchewan rink are third Bernie Bandur, second Paul Comfort, and lead Chris Rugg, while Ian Brennen at third, second stone Joe Marques, lead Butch Kovacs and fifth player John Zechner Jr. round out the Northern Ontario foursome.
Here is a recap of the final shots in the previous nine ends:
End 1: Northern Ontario-hits and rolls behind center. Sask needs to be on the button, but the rock is heavy and ends up at the back of the four foot, giving a steal of one to Northern Ontario.
End 2: Saskatchewan just misses a double takeout and gives up a steal of one.
End 3: Saskatchewan makes a perfect freeze on Gartner’s first rock. Northern Ontario is just a little heavy on their freeze and rolls out. Saskatchewan makes a quiet tap for a deuce.
End 4: Saskatchewan third Bernie Bandur makes a perfect tap-up to the top of the button. Zechner’s makes a hit and roll on his first shot, but is not quite shot rick. Saskatchewan puts up a second guard for insurance. Northern Ontario’s skip plays a quiet tap to go around the guard, but rubs it en route, giving Saskatchewan a steal of one.
End 5: A very wide open end. Saskatchewan hits and rolls out on their last rock. Northern Ontario throws their last rock through the rings to retain hammer into the next end. Score at the half: Saskatchewan 3, Northern Ontario 2.
End 6: Northern Ontario makes an early hit and roll behind a Saskatchewan rock. The Regina team attempts a run back and narrowly misses. The teams exchanging hits for the remainder of the end. Saskatchewan attempts a double but leaves one, handing Northern Ontario a draw for two.
End 7: This time there are lots of rocks in play, all in the house with no guards out front. Northern Ontario’s Zechner makes a great cross -the-house double on his last shot and leaves Saskatchewan with a draw facing 3 Northern Ontario counters. Gartner makes the draw for 1 to tie the game at 4-all.
End 8: Saskatchewan is in trouble the entire end, but the skip, with his last rock, makes a tricky double through a small port to sit one. Northern Ontario tries to come through the same hole, but, fortunately for them, it rubs the guard, straightening out the shooter, and picking out the Saskatchewan rock for a deuce.
End 9: Like end seven, there are lots of rocks in play, all in the house with no guards out front. Saskatchewan’s Gartner makes a hit and roll on his first. Northern Ontario plays the hit but rolls too far, leaving Saskatchewan with a quiet tap for two to tie the game at 6-6.
The Saturday morning semi-final between Northern Ontario and Nova Scotia’s Chad Stevens foursome from the Chester Fire Department was another close one, with Northern Ontario winning by a 5-4 score.
On Friday, Saskatchewan doubled Northern Ontario by an 8-4 score in the Page round game between the first and second place teams to advance directly to the Saturday afternoon final. Saskatchewan took doubles in three ends, holding the Nipigon foursome to singles throughout the game. Nova Scotia beat Southern Ontario 7-4 in the Page 3rd vs 4th place game.
Round robin play wrapped up Friday morning, with Saskatchewan and Northern Ontario both finishing with 9-2 win-loss records. Saskatchewan was awarded first place by virtue of their 6-2 round robin win over Northern Ontario on Thursday. Northern Ontario blanked the Northwest Territories 14-0 in only five ends this morning, while Saskatchewan had a bye.
Three teams – British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Southern Ontario, finished the round robin with 8-3 records. Southern Ontario beat the other two teams in round robin play and were awarded third place. BC and Nova Scotia then played off in a tiebreaker, with Nova Scotia winning by an 8-4 score to grab the final playoff position.
Manitoba ended play at 6-5, while Alberta finished at 5-6.
PEI’s Jeff Nelson team from the Montague Fire Department lost their final game, against Southern Ontario, on Friday morning by an 8-6 score, and finished at 4-7, tied with New Brunswick.
Quebec completed play at 3-8, while the Northwest Territories were 2-9.