Three draws have now been completed at the Labatt Tankard Final Eight Championship round at the Montague Curling Club. After Wednesday play, Charlottetown’s John Likely rink leads the pack with a 3-0 win-loss record, recording a 9-4 win over top qualifier Rod MacDonald, and edging PEI Seniors champ Mel Bernard by a 5-4 score.
Two Charlottetown teams are tied for second place with 2-1 records. They are Seniors runner-up Ted MacFadyen, who has five Tankards in his collection, and is competing in his 16th Final Eight competition, and 2004 winner Mike Gaudet. In action today, Gaudet scored a triple in the ninth end to beat MacFadyen 8-5, and then went on to trounce O’Leary’s Clair Sweet rink by an 8-1 score, shutting the game down after the sixth end, when he took a triple. MacFadyen edged Charlottetown clubmate Rod MacDonald in his evening game, with a four-point third end aiding the victory.
The remaining five teams, MacDonald, Bernard, Sweet, and Charlottetown’s Jamie Newson and Bill Hope, all have one win against two losses. Key games Wednesday included a 7-4 win for Hope over Newson, a 9-8 extra-end win for Sweet over Hope, and a 9-4 Bernard win over Newson,
Round robin play continues through Friday evening, with Thursday and Friday draws at 2 and 7.
Likely will face Gaudet in the 2 pm draw on Thursday, and will play MacFadyen at 7 pm.
Tiebreakers, if needed, plus the Page playoff games go on Saturday, with the semi-final going either Saturday night or Sunday morning. The final is Sunday at 3 pm, with the winner advancing to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 7-15 in Calgary.