KELOWNA -- It didn’t take long for Mike McEwen to hit the win column at the Montana’s Brier national men’s curling championship.
McEwen and his Saskatoon Nutana foursome of third Colton Flasch, second Kevin Marsh and lead Daniel Marsh took a 6-4 victory over P.E.I.’s Tyler Smith in their opening game on Friday at the 18-team tournament currently underway in Kelowna.
McEwen wasted little time getting going, as a steal of two in the third end gave Saskatchewan a 3-0 lead, and after Smith picked up a pair in the fourth, McEwen added three in the fifth to go up 6-2.
It was a defensive clinic from there, as McEwen held Smith to single points in the sixth and ninth ends the rest of the way, taking the 6-4 win.
The entire foursome curled well, with McEwen leading the way at 95 percent, Kevin Marsh curling 91 percent, Flasch 90 percent and Daniel Marsh 85 percent.
The remainder of McEwen’s draw is as follows:
Sunday, Mar. 2
10:30 a.m. -- Nova Scotia (Purcell)
8:30 p.m. -- Ontario (Mooibroek)
Monday, Mar. 3
3:30 p.m. -- Quebec (Asselin)
Tuesday, Mar. 4
10:30 a.m. -- Yukon (Scoffin)
8:30 p.m. -- Northwest Territories (Bartling)
Wednesday, Mar. 5
3:30 p.m. -- Saskatchewan (Kleiter)
8:30 p.m. -- Alberta (Jacobs)
The news wasn’t as good for Saskatoon Nutana’s Rylan Kleiter, as they’d manage to score points in only two ends on their way to a 7-2 loss to Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell.
Kleiter and his SaskTel Tankard foursome of third Josh Mattern, second Matthew Hall and lead Trevor Johnson scored the opening point of the game with a steal in the fourth end, but Purcell would come right back with three in the fifth.
A single point for Kleiter in the seventh made it a one-point game, but Purcell would add a pair in the ninth and steal two in the 10th to seal the victory.
Kleiter led the team by shooting 86 percent, while Johnson hit 83 percent, Hall and Mattern both 78 percent.
The remainder of Kleiter’s draw is as follows:
Sunday, Mar. 2
10:30 a.m. -- P.E.I. (Smith)
Monday, Mar. 3
3:30 p.m. -- Northwest Territories (Bartling)
Tuesday, Mar. 4
10:30 a.m. -- Alberta (Jacobs)
8:30 p.m. -- Ontario (Mooibroek)
Wednesday, Mar. 5
3:30 p.m. -- Saskatchewan (McEwen)
Thursday, Mar. 6
10:30 a.m. -- Yukon (Scoffin)
8:30 p.m. -- Quebec (Asselin)
Fans can catch all the up-to-the-minute scores at www.curling.ca and see all the action from each draw on TSN.
