The Jeff Gartner rink from the Regina Fire Department doubled the Jeff Zechner foursome from Northern Ontario’s Nipigon Fire Department by an 8-4 score this afternoon in the Page round game between the first and second place teams to earn a bye to the 1 pm Saturday final at the 50th annual Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship being played at the Charlottetown Curling Club. Saskatchewan took doubles in three ends, holding the Nipigon foursome to singles throughout the game.
Northern Ontario will now play in the 9 am Saturday semi-final against the winner of the Page game between 3rd place Southern Ontario, and 4th place Nova Scotia, which got underway at 5 pm. The winner of the semi will face Saskatchewan in the championship game.
Round robin play wrapped up this 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, this 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.