The teams for the first of three modified triple knockout section finals have been determined, following draw 2 play this evening at the PEI Tankard provincial men’s curling championship at the Charlottetown Curling Complex. Defending champion Adam Casey and his Silver Fox and Charlottetown rink will play the Jamie Newson team from the host Charlottetown club in the “A” section final, at 1 pm on Saturday.
(L-R): Robbie Doherty, Anson Carmody, Adam Casey
Casey doubled eight time (six as skip) Tankard winner Robert Campbell by a 6-3 score this evening, while the Newson squad beat Tyler Harris and his Charlottetown/Montague rink 7-3. Casey scored a triple in the first end, and kept Campbell from getting more than a single in the rest of the game. Newson had a 3-2 lead going into the sixth end, when he stole a deuce and a single for a 6-2 lead. The teams traded singles, in the next two ends, and Harris ran out of rocks in the final end.
Besides the A final, other 1 pm Saturday games will see Eddie MacKenzie take on Charlottetown clubmate Campbell, and Harris take on Tyler Smith. The other Saturday draw is at 6 pm.
In Friday afternoon opening draw action, Harris, aided by a pair of four point ends, beat MacKenzie 10-4 in eight ends, while Smith, playing in his first Tankard, along with his Crapaud/Montague team, fought back from a 6-0 deficit after five ends against Tankard veteran Campbell, scoring a deuce in the sixth and stealing the next four ends to tie the game at 6-6 and force an extra end. Campbell scored one in the extra for the 7-6 win.
With the modified triple knockout format, teams who win a section remain in the draw, and can win multiple sections. If a team wins all three sections, they will take the championship without the two game championship round. A team who wins two sections will play in both championship games, and take the title if they win either, while their opponent would have to win both.
The first match in the three game Future Tankard under 21 developmental event, between brothers Mitchell and Devin Schut of Cornwall was postponed Friday, and will now go at 1pm Saturday, with game two following at 6.
The winning Tankard team will advance to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 5-13, 2016 at TD Place in Ottawa Ontario. End by end Tankard scoring is available at PEICurling.com