Ties galore at Road to the Roar (Journal Pioneer)

Lots to be decided before playoffs

SUMMERSIDE

Charley Thomas and his team of Mick Lizmore, Brandon Klassen and DJ Kidby, from Crestwood Curling Club in Edmonton put a lock on first place in Pool B of the Home Hardware Road to the Roar Olympic Pre-trials event at Eastlink Arena in Summerside Friday night with an 8-3 win over the Brendan Bottcher rink from the Community Sports Centre in Edmonton. Thomas opened up a 7-3 lead with a deuce in the seventh and sealed the deal with a steal in the eighth.

Thomas finished round-robin play at 5-1 in the standings, leaving four teams to fight it out for the second and third play-off spot all tied with 3-3 records, Bottcher among them. Also still in the hunt are Dayna Deruelle from Brampton, William Lyburn from Winnipeg and Greg Balsdon from Kingston, Ont. 

The Pool A games on the late draw were attention-getters, one between two of the biggest names in the game, Glenn Howard and John Morris, and the other featuring a Regina team skipped by Prince Edward Islander Adam Casey.
Morris forced the game to an extra end with a single in the tenth, but it was Howard who got the point in the extra end for a 4-3 win. Howard finished round-robin play with a perfect 6-0 record.

Getting the lowdown on his delivery is Winnipeg skip Jason Gunnlaugson. Gunnlaugson downed a Regina rink skipped by Islander Adam Casey in the final draw of the Olympic pre-trials round-robin action Friday evening. The two teams entered the game needing the win to advance to a tie-breaker game and it was Gunnlaugson who won out, 5-3.

Getting the lowdown on his delivery is Winnipeg skip Jason Gunnlaugson. Gunnlaugson downed a Regina rink skipped by Islander Adam Casey Friday evening and advances to a tie-breaker. – Eric McCarthy

Casey was up against Winnipeg’s Jason Gunnlaugson. Gunnlaugson, who curled 98 per cent in the game, made it through with a 5-3 victory.

So, Thomas takes first based on his winning record. That much is certain. Curling Canada was still consulting around midnight Friday on the potential tie-breakers for “B” pool

For the “A” Pool, Morris gets second place, and Murphy and Gunnlaugson play for third Saturday at 7:30 a.m.

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