Charlottetown’s Mike Gaudet rink beat the Brett Gallant foursome by a 7-5 score tonight at the Cornwall Curling Club to win the PEI Tankard Provincial Men’s Curling Championship. It’s Gaudet’s fourth Tankard, winning as skip in 1994 and 2004, and last year as third for Eddie MacKenzie, who in turn played third for runner-up Gallant this year. Other members of the Gaudet team are Tyler MacKenzie, Tyler Harris, and Sean Clarey. Backing up Gallant were Eddie MacKenzie at third, Anson Carmody at second, and Alex MacFadyen at lead stone, with coach Al Ledgerwood.
Photo (L-R): Mike Gaudet, Tyler MacKenzie, Tyler Harris, Sean Clarey
Photo (L-R): Al Ledgerwood (coach), Alex MacFadyen, Anson Carmody, Eddie MacKenzie, Brett Gallant, PEICA President George Koke
In tonight’s game, Gallant blanked the first two ends, and opened the scoring with a deuce in the third. Gallant ran into trouble in the next end when he elected to pick a Gaudet stone out from several of his own stones, and missed the mark, handing Gaudet an open hit for three.
Photo: 4th end – Gaudet picks up three
Gallant picked up a single in the next end to the the game 3-all at the half. The sixth end was blanked, and Gallant stole a single in the seventh to lead 4-3. Gaudet then manages to remove a Gallant shot stone which was behind cover and touching the four foot, and stays to count two, to take the lead 5-4.
Photo: Tyler MacKenzie lines up Gaudet’s final shot in the 8th
Photo: Gaudet picks up a deuce in eight
Gallant then makes a tough final shot in end nine, to score one and tie the game at 5-5 by going through a port to remove the Gaudet counter, but lose last rock advantage in the final end, where Gaudet removes the the only Gallant stone in the house with his first skip rock to lie two. Gallant’s final stone is heavy, handing Gaudet, who doesn’t have to throw his final rock, the 7-5 win.
Photo: Gallant’s final stone is heavy
Photo: Handshakes
Both teams got to the final with wins over Charlottetown clubmate Rod MacDonald.
The Gaudet rink beat them 9-4 to win the Page 1-2 game and a bye to the final.
Gallant, a former Canadian Junior champion, came from behind to steal a deuce in the last end of the afternoon semi-final over MacDonald, whose last two rocks didn’t perform as expected, giving Gallant a 7-6 win and an opportunity to play in the PEI Tankard final.
The Gaudet foursome now advance to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 3-11 in Saskatoon.