CALGARY, March 9, 2009  (CCA)– Ontario’s Glenn Howard is still undefeated and Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton is right on his heels here at the 2009 Tim Hortons Brier.

Howard improved to a perfect 4-0 with an 8-3 thrashing of PEI’s Rod MacDonald Monday afternoon, while Stoughton is now 4-1 following an 8-2 beating of BC’s Sean Geall.

Howard is tied with Alberta’s Kevin Martin atop the standings heading into this evening’s draw, while Stoughton is now alone in third place. Alberta plays Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue this evening, while Ontario plays Saskatchewan’s Joel Jordison. Manitoba has a bye.

Stoughton cracked a pair of three-enders on BC in a game that he controlled from the third end onward. “This is great,” said Stoughton, who beat Quebec earlier Monday. “You’ve got to like those lucky three’s…We’re getting rocks in play and getting them in the right position.

“It’s starting to feel better…I’ve really enjoyed the ice the last couple games.”

In other games on the afternoon draw, Nova Scotia’s Mark Dacey defeated Northern Ontario’s Mike Jakubo 8-3 and Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue defeated NWT/Yukon’s Jamie Koe 7-2. Dacey is now 2-3, while Gushue improved to 3-1 and is now alone in fourth place.

In other games this evening, BC is playing Quebec, while Northern Ontario takes on New Brunswick.