Two draws have been completed at the PEI Tankard provincial men’s curling championship at the Cornwall Curliing Club. PEI’s The Dominion Curling Club Championship men’s team, skipped by Donald Clarey of Montague, are 2-0 after opening day play. Also unbeaten, at 1-0, are teams skipped by Brett Gallant, Robert Campbell, and Rod MacDonald, who all curl out of the Charlottetown club.

Photo (R-L): Donald Clarey, Larry Richards, David Rice, Steven MacLeod from the Montague Curling Club

In draw two action, Clarey, who picked up an 8-6 win over Rob Young and his host club rink in the opening draw, recorded a 9-3 victory over Charlottetown’s Mike Gaudet foursome, stealing the first four ends, and following up a 7th end deuce with a steal of another pair in eight.

The other draw two games were much closer, all decided by a single point, with a seventh end single steal being the deciding factor in a 7-6 Brett Gallant win over John Likely, and a fourth end steal of one giving Rod MacDonald the edge in an 8-7 victory over Jamie Newson, whose first draw ended early when Newson was about to draw for six in end eight against Blair Jay of the Silver Fox Curling & Yacht Club in Summerside, but Jay conceded before Newson threw the final stone, giving Newson a 5-4 win.

The final game in the evening draw saw Robert Campbell get by Peter MacDonald with a 7-6 score, aided by a triple in the seventh end. Peter MacDonald, Likely and Newson all sit at 1-1 going into Friday play.

Friday’s draws in this 12 team triple knockout event with a Page finish are at 9 am and 1:30 and 6:30 pm. The championship game is Monday at 6:30 pm.

The 2012 PEI Tankard winner will advance to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 3-11 in Saskatoon.