TORONTO – Glenn Howard scored a double in the eighth end to defeat Mike McEwen 4-3 and win the Players’ Championship on Sunday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Glenn Howard watches his shot at the Players’ Championship.

Jonathan Brazeau April 21, 2013, 3:58 PM

McEwen’s final shot was off by just a few inches and Howard nailed the double takeout to earn his second career Players’ title.

The Coldwater, Ont., rink ran the table at the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record.

McEwen opened the scoring with a steal of one in the first end when Howard couldn’t knock McEwen’s stone out of the house with his final shot.

Howard blanked the second and tied it up with a single in the third.

McEwen then attempted to grab a triple in the fourth but couldn’t get his last stone through the guards and Howard stole one to lead 2-1.

The Winnipeg rink then blanked the fifth and scored a point in the sixth to square it 2-2.

Howard gave up a one-point lead in the seventh when he attempted to score two but couldn’t get his final rock past McEwen’s guards.

McEwen defeated Jeff Stoughton 5-2 in the semifinals while Howard edged Brier champion Brad Jacobs 6-4.

The loss for Jacobs also meant Toronto’s John Epping clinched the sixth and final direct spot for the Canadian Olympic trials.

2012-13 Grand Slam of Curling winners 

Masters — Kevin Koe

Canadian Open — Glenn Howard

National — Jeff Stoughton

Players’ Championship — Glenn Howard

Click to read this story at Sportsnet