By Ed Klajman
Special to The Guardian
LONDON, Ont. — Eddie MacKenzie arrived at the Brier believing he and his Charlottetown Curling Club teammates had a realistic chance to make the playoffs.
But after being soundly beaten in their first three games they sit in last place and their goals have suddenly become much more modest and much shorter-term.
“Just one shot at a time and see if we can get a couple of good ends in a row and build from there,” said MacKenzie, who is playing in his second Brier but first as a skip, alongside third stone Mike Gaudet, second Mike Dillon and lead Alex MacFadyen.
“We’re making some good shots, just not enough consecutive good shots. It just seems if we have a good weight we’re a little off on the line. If we have a good line we’re a little off on the weight, that type of thing. It’s tough to pinpoint. You got to keep digging I guess. Nobody’s out of it yet.”
In the team’s opener Saturday afternoon, Brad Gushue’s Newfoundland squad crushed the P.E.I. foursome 10-1 in a game that ended after seven ends. The second game against Yukon-Northwest Territories went the distance, with a final score of 8-6, but Jamie Koe’s squad was always in control. Sunday morning’s game against Quebec ended after eight ends, with François Gagné’s team easily winning 10-4.
It didn’t get much better Sunday night with P.E.I. dropping a 9-4 decision to Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton, who handily won his first four games.
The Island rink is now 0-4, mired in last place, and has been outscored 39-14.
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Prince Edward Island skip Eddie MacKenzie throws a rock between second Mike Dillon and lead Alex MacFadyen in draw 3 against Quebec at the Brier Canadian curling championships in London, Ont., Sunday. Canadian Press photo