Breen, Harrison also victorious in evening draw Monday

(by Eric McCarthy)

SUMMERSIDE – Two of the most recognizable names in the 14-team men’s field at the 2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials curling event got off to flying starts in Monday’s second draw at Eastlink Arena.

The Glenn Howard rink from the St. George’s Golf and Curling Club in Toronto stole three in the fourth end to go up 6-0 when Mark Bice from the Sarnia Golf and Curling Club came up light on his final draw. Howard drew for three in the second end after keeping the hammer with a blank in the first. He went on to win the game 9-2, with handshakes after eight.

John Morris yells instructions to his sweeps while opposing skip Jamie Murphy looks on intently. The two teams met in Draw 2 of the 2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials curling event in Summerside on Monday night. Jason Simmonds/Journal Pioneer

Blows open close game
Meanwhile, John Morris from the Vernon Curling Club in British Columbia blew open a close game against Jamie Murphy from the Halifax Curling Club in the fifth end as Jim Cotter, who throws skip stones for Morris, made a routine hit for five with the hammer. It opened up a 7-2 lead.
Murphy just couldn’t recover after the big end, giving up steals in ends six and seven. He hit for one in the eighth and then shook hands, trailing 9-3.
The women’s games were close until the ninth ends. Theresa Breen, the only women’s team from the Maritimes out of the Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax, N.S., stole a triple to close out Tracy Fleury from the Idylwylde Golf and Country Club in Sudbury 11-6.
Jacqueline Harrison and her Mississauga Golf and Country Club team never trailed in what was a close game until her triple in the ninth put the game out of reach. Briane Meilleur and her Fort Rouge Curling Club team from Winnipeg conceded down 10-6.
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