PEI’s Eddie MacKenzie rink doubled the Philippe LeMay team from Trois Rivieres by a 4-2 score this morning to remain in play at the $40,000 Challenge Chateau Cartier de Gatineau cashspiel in Gatineau Quebec. The Islanders face Team Eazy Express (Brad Jacobs from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) at 4:30 pm Eastern. If they lose that game they are out. If they win, they play again at 10 Eastern in a C division qualifier game for Sunday’s quarter-finals.

The MacKenzie rink stole a deuce in an extra end to win their opener, 6-5 over the Bowie Abbis-Mills team from Aylmer Ont. on Thursday. The PEI foursome, which includes third Anson Carmody, second Christian Tolusso who is originally from Ottawa, just across the river from Gatineau, and lead Alex MacFadyen, lost their next two games, 9-5 to Bryan Cochrane of Ottawa on Thursday, and 8-6 to Michael Fournier of Montreal.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue rink, which includes PEI natives Adam Casey and Brett Gallant, along with the Mark Dacey rink from Halifax, remain undefeated, and earned a day off Saturday and berths in Sunday’s 9 am quarter-finals. Gushue beat Toronto’s Greg Balston 5-2 Friday  afternoon, while Dacey beat another Halifax rink, skipped by Jamie Murphy 6-1 in their A qualifer round to advance to the quarters.

Prize breakdown is as follows: 1st: $10,000 2nd: $7,000 3/4: $4,500 5/8: $3,500. 30 teams are entered.

Results: http://www.ontariocurlingtour.com/events.php?eventid=2739