ROCK SOLID! MY FAVOURITE BRIER. Auction all about the kids. Team Canada. team to beat in Page playoffs. Page 7. Page 6

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1 ISSUE 8 SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018 Auction all about the kids Page 6 MY FAVOURITE BRIER Page 7 ROCK Team Canada SOLID! team to beat in Page playoffs

2 2 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier Brendan Bottcher of Alberta made sure there would be no early-morning tiebreaker by winning his evening game against Northern Ontario s Brad Jacobs. At right, both Wild Card s Mike McEwen (front) and Saskatchewan bowed out of play Friday. ONE MORE TIME hope he doesn t play as well as he did today, said By GRANT GRANGER Gushue. It took everything to beat him. Both teams curled incredibly well and it came down to Tankard Times Writer an extra-end draw to the button. Although this is Epping s first Brier, Gushue, Play it again, boys. who is supported by third Mark Nichols, second The Page playoff games at the 2018 Tim Brett Gallant, lead Geoff Walker, alternate Tom Hortons Brier, presented by Mosaic, will be Sallow and coach Jules Owchar, is well aware of repeats of the matchups on the last draw of the his opponent s capabilities. Championship Pool Friday night. We ve played him in a Grand Slam final and Team Canada (10-1) will face Ontario (9-2) in he curled 100 per cent against us. So I know how the evening s 1-2 game after Brad Gushue (St. good John can be, and when John gets going John s) defeated John Epping (Toronto) 5-4 by good there s nobody better. He starts to feel it and drawing the button with his final shot in an extra plays with confidence, he can make every shot, end Friday. The 3-4 game will be between a pair and he ll play every shot, said Gushue, who gets of 8-3 teams, Northern Ontario (Sault Ste. Marie), both hammer and choice of rocks for finishing skipped by Brad Jacobs, and Brendan Bottcher first. So he can be tough to play against. We ve of Alberta (Edmonton). Bottcher downed Jacobs just got to make sure we set the ends up well and 9-3 in the final draw to avoid having to play a don t leave him those big shots for big points. tiebreaker Saturday morning. Ontario hadn t lost since its opening game last We get to play John again, and we ve got to Saturday when they were beaten by Northern Ontario. We weren t as good today. We kind of did some Houdini acts in a lot of ends. Brad really controlled the game, said Epping. He had to make a good last one, which is always nice, but we ll have to be much sharper tomorrow night if we want to beat him in the 1-2 game. Being in the 1-2 is a huge bonus to us because it means we get two chances to get to the final. Bottcher needed a win in his last two games and got it by beating Jacobs. We did what we needed to do, said Bottcher, whose team of third Darren Moulding, second Brad Thiessen and lead Karrick Martin, flipped its 3-8 record around from their first Brier last year in St. John s to 8-3 this year. For us as a team this is everything and more that we could have asked for already. We re going to look at it as it s all gravy from here. Jacobs and his team which included alternate Tanner Horgan filling in for lead Ryan Harnden who was ill will look to redeem themselves Epping, Gushue play in 1-2 game Saturday. We re still alive in this thing. We ve won the Brier before from the fourth spot (2013), so we ll go out tomorrow and look forward to the battle, said Jacobs. Team Wild Card (Winnipeg), skipped by Mike McEwen (7-4), did its part to force a tiebreaker by downing Manitoba (West St. Paul), skipped by McEwen s friend Reid Carruthers (5-6), 8-3. McEwen won two games Friday after losing two Thursday, including one when he was heavy with his final shot to give up a steal of two in the 10th end and hand Ontario a victory. We showed today the team we are. The bounce back was good. We were resilient. We probably played our best curling the last two games, said McEwen. I m sure none of the competitors wants to see us in a tiebreak, to be quite honest. I know the reverse is true, I wouldn t want to see a Gushue or an Epping or a Jacobs squeak in.

3 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times Saturday, March 10, BRIER REGINA 2018 Guide to the playoffs 1-2, 3-4 games Semifinal Final 1 2 Canada Today 7 p.m. Ontario Sunday 6 p.m. 3 Alberta Today 2 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. Curling Canada s mascot Slider with two oh-so-cute curling fans. 4 N. Ontario Open your heart See ROMANCE Page 14 to tradition Government House Regina is bursting with ideas and life. A place that can stimulate the senses and imagination. Let us welcome you with sincere and helpful hearts! #SeeYQR tourismregina.com

4 4 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier A big stepping stone Brier important for Nunavut s growth By GRANT GRANGER Tankard Times Writer It s a start. It wasn t a winning start, but successful programs have to start sometime and somewhere. The 2018 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by Mosaic, just might have been it for Nunavut. This Brier marked the debut of a new 16-team format. It also marked the debut of the northern territory in the event s main draw. Nunavut, skipped by David St. Louis, did not win a game in its eight outings and was outscored It s been good. A couple of tough games, it s been nice to come out and curl. We ve been getting better as the week went on. I think we re pretty happy with the way we did, said St. Louis. Although the lopsided scores have many saying the format doesn t work, being able to be part of the Brier for the full week is important to Nunavut s growth. If curling s going to grow in the territory of Nunavut we need to see a shining light at the end of the tunnel. This is a stepping stone for Nunavut. We re trying to get the younger crowd into this game, and we ve already seen a bump in younger curlers in knowing they can go to the Brier. There s hope, said St. Louis. He spent 16 years in Iqaluit running its recreational services, but is now the director of community services for the city of Stratford, Ont., just down the road from his new residence in St. Mary s. It was our home for 16 years, and it was tough to leave, but when you have young kids it s a tough place to live and it was time to go. I had a great job, my wife had a good job, and it was just time, said St. Louis, 58. But when his curling buddies third Wade Kingdon, second Peter Mackey and lead Jeff Nadeau called asking if he d like to join them it didn t take him long to say, Sure, I ll do that. The only previous national curling event he d played Continued Page 16 David St. Louis had a fun run at the Brier. Brier15

5 Tankard #BRIER2018 Saturday, March 10, B.C. boys throw baby weight T By GRANT GRANGER Tankard Times Writer wo babies were on the way, so only three could play which led to a historical surrender of seven on the ice. British Columbia played with just three players in the seedings draw of the Tim Hortons Brier, presented by Mosaic, against New Brunswick on Friday morning because they d lost two players to expected fatherhood. After preliminary pool play ended Wednesday night, third Jeff Richard headed home to Kelowna to be with his wife Brooklyn Leitch for the birth of their first child. He joined lead David Harper, who was already there awaiting the birth of his second child with wife Jessica. Harper had bolted midway through their first game Saturday night to catch a plane because it was believed Jessica was in labour. False alarm. So he came back to play Tuesday afternoon before returning afterward. So that meant not only was alternate Brad Wood called into action, he and regular second Andrew Nerpin would have to throw three rocks each and sweep by themselves. They fell behind early giving up three in the first end, but it was basically game over when New Brunswick scored seven in the sixth end of a 12-5 win for the Maritime team skipped by James Grattan. It was fun. We knew it was going to happen at some point, you just play with what you ve got. We re at the Brier, so we re not playing against club teams. You go out there and take your chances, and sometimes you get licked, said B.C. skip Sean Geall. With Harper and Richard on baby alert, British Columbia had just two wins in eight games. I don t know that I d call (the week) strange. We knew what was going to happen coming in, or at least we had an idea it was going to happen coming in, so we were prepared for what happened, said Geall. There s no excuses. We didn t play to our potential, and we don t deserve to be in the playoffs. Since he played in every game but one, it s likely Wood played more than any alternate ever. Everybody has been talking about that, that I might have set a record or two just in that matter, playing the most game for an alternate. Plus playing a game as an alternate with a three-man team was kind of different, too, said Wood, who knew there was a good possibility he d have to play some, but not seven of eight. I thought maybe one, maybe two games. I never expected the amount I ended up curling. PROUD SPONSOR There was a lot of huffing and puffing going on with only three players. Sport is more than a game... sport skills are life skills. - truesport.ca OF THE 2018 TIM HORTONS BRIER respect teammates, competitors and of cials both on and off the ice win with dignity and lose with grace 770 Broad Street, Regina bennettdunlopford.com TM Proudly supporting the Future Stars of curling in Saskatchewan. Fueling Champions, Sharing Dreams sasksport.sk.ca

6 6 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier Step right up folks! tables for easy display, with current bids listed beside them. Auction has some All items for the auction are donated by artists, teams, Curling Canada or local and national sponsors of the Brier. We have some fantastic items, says Bazinet. We have signed great items for you jerseys, sculptures, Curling Canada tickets for upcoming events and other great items. Bazinet says the hot items are the jerseys the two wild card By DAVE KOMOSKY teams and Team Canada all signed by team members. And of Tankard Times Editor course Saskatchewan, beams Bazinet. Many of the items in the auction are one-of-a-kind collector s Brodie Bazinet loves the Curling Canada Foundation silent items, including a full set of framed sponsor pins donated by Laurie auction that wraps up today for several reasons. Artiss, The Pin People. All proceeds go to the Curling Canada Foundation to Other items available include a carved nativity scene from Team fund youth curling programs across the country, says Bazinet, and Northwest Territories, and a soapstone carving of a polar bear from that s a great thing. Nunavut, valued between $700 and 800. The auction, she points out, gives Tim Hortons Brier fans a Are there going to be deals? Bazinet says the deals are in the chance to support the next generation of curlers while going home details: people with winning bids get a great item, a charitable with unique memorabilia. receipt and the knowledge they are helping kids learn the game in But she particularly loves the fact that curlers participating in the an atmosphere of fun. Brier get involved in the event. The auction continues today starting at 11 a.m. and wraps up at 7 We get fantastic contributions from every team, says Bazinet, p.m. on the dot. Foundation Manager of Curling Canada. That s what I love most At about 6:30 you re going to want to be watching your about this auction. The Brier teams put together either locallythemed baskets or signed curling brooms or autographed jerseys. I strategic about their silent auction bidding. But at 7 p.m. it s pens favourite items, says Bazinet, because some people can be very love that they get involved and give back to the sport. down. It s like an exam. The auction is held in the concourse of Evraz Place, just outside People with winning bids can pick up their items following the the doors leading into the Brier Patch. All items are spread out over 7 p.m. draw. Brodie Bazinet and an all-team signed Saskatchewan jersey up for auction. Always Accommodating. stayinregina.com SPONSORED EVENT

7 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times * Offer ends March 31, Conditions apply. See sasktel.com/maxtvpromo for details. Saturday, March 10, MY FAVOURITE BRIER The Tankard Times asked various curlers, fans, media members and Curling Canada officials who ave been to multiple Briers to choose their favourite. This is what they had to say, in the third of a series: EDMONTON, 2005 When you ve covered more than 25 Briers and Edmonton teams skipped by Pat Ryan, Randy Ferbey, Kevin Martin and Kevin Koe have won a dozen of them, it s tough to pick one. I loved my first one in 1980 in Calgary, which, come to think of it, was Saskatchewan s last one. But how could I possibly select one other than Edmonton 2005 when the Ferbey Four won their fourth and the event set an all-time attendance record of 281,985. It was the most ballistic Brier ever. Terry Jones, sports columnist, Postmedia KAMLOOPS, 1996 I grew up in Kamloops, but I was working in Nanaimo when the CCA announced that the Brier would be played in Kamloops for the first time. I made it a priority to try to find a job in Kamloops, and about 10 months before the 1996 Brier, the sports editor s job opened up at my hometown paper. I applied, got the job, and started counting down the days to the opening ceremony. Added bonus my curling hero growing up, Barry McPhee, won the B.C. title and would be the hometown favourite. Those nine days were a blur but it was a classic final that went to an extra end between Jeff Stoughton and Kevin Martin. There s nothing like your first Brier, and having it in my hometown made it that much better. Al Cameron, Director, Communication & Media Relations, Curling Canada CALGARY, 1997 That Brier is memorable for a record audience of 17,024 on championship Sunday and the epic final featuring Vic Peters and Kevin Martin, who prevailed But, for me, it s mostly about a card I received scant days after Peters crushing defeat. It was from Vic, his bride Deb and their kids Kassie, Daley and Elisabeth thanking me for the endless support to our family and the friendship you extended us. What athlete does that? What athlete s family does that? In my experience, just one. I still have that card, and it s the reason I won t forget the 1997 Brier. Patti Dawn Swansson, Tankard Times contributor YOU RE THE COACH: SHOOT! DEFENCE! HUSTLE! ICE IT! PICK IT UP! TACKLE! PLUG THE HOLES! + Internet $ mo. for 3 months * Whatever sport you re into, you ll find it on maxtv. Watch the action anywhere with Go Apps. Free HD and PVR capable set-top box, free HD and PVR*, plus no contracts or installation fees. sasktel.com/sports

8 8 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier

9 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times Saturday, March 10,

10 10 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier Spotlight on: Wild Card FORT ROUGE CURLING CLUB, WINNIPEG Q&A What s your favourite vacation destination? Maui, Hawaii after one visit I keep begging my wife to go back. Are you a cat/dog person? Dog person. What is your favourite breakfast meal? Apple cinnamon pancakes! (Even better when my second man, Matty, makes them for the team) What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? Make coffee and my daughter breakfast. What is your favourite TV show? Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders. Beer or wine? The time of year decides for me... warm weather it s beer, curling season it s wine. Favourite musician(s)/bands you ve seen in concert? The Tragically Hip. What is your dream car? Tesla. Did you ever get a dare that you accepted? If so, what? Yes, basically if someone dares me to eat something hot I ll do it... with varying degrees of success! Have you ever been pulled over by a cop? Yep, pulled a mike mcewen AGE: 37 BIRTHPLACE: Brandon, Man. RESIDENCE: Winnipeg FAMILY: Wife, Dawn, children, Vienna 3. OCCUPATION: National sales consultant, Hardline Curling. U-turn where I shouldn t have and for the first time curling actually got me off of the ticket! The officer recognized me from TV and knew I was in town for a curling event. Favourite board game? Anything with family. It s a bit of a family tradition to play board/card games around the holidays. SKIP When you are in extra ends on the farm you need a teammate that will help to sweep you to the button. Markusson New Holland 26 G P R E P K markusson.com Markusson New Holland, Proud to be a part of your winning team.

11 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times THIRD SECOND LEAD Saturday, March 10, COACH b.j. neufeld matt wozniak denni neufeld chris neufeld Essentials AGE: 32 BIRTHDATE: Fb. 28, 1986 BORN: Winnipeg LIVES: Winnipeg FAMILY: Wife Sarah, daughter Scarlett 1 YEARS CURLED: 18 OCCUPATION: PGA of Canada head golf pro, St. Andrews Essentials AGE: 35 BIRTHDATE: Jan. 6, 1983 BORN: Winnipeg LIVES: Winnipeg FAMILY: Partner Marlene Albrecht, daughter Ivy 2 OCCUPATION: Morgage Broker, Vertuity Mortgage Essentials AGE: 37 BIRTHDATE: Jan. 25, 1981 BORN: Steinbach, Man. LIVES: Winnipeg FAMILY: Wife Cheryl, daughters Rylynn 7, Ella Marie 3 OCCUPATION: Realtor, Royal LePage Prime Real Estate ALTERNATE none Delta Hotels by Marriott Regina 1919 Saskatchewan Drive marriott.com/yqrdr Proud Sponsor of the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier FORWARD, TOGETHER For over 20 years, Charter has been helping our customers success by providing increased network security simplified operations and improved collaboration. Ask us how we can help chart your course to success. Victoria Vancouver Calgary Edmonton Regina Toronto w w w. c h a r t e r. c a

12 12 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier Spotlight on: Alberta SAVILLE COMMUNITY SPORTS CENTRE, EDMONTON Q&A brendan bottcher SKIP What would you do if you won the lottery? Stop hunting for curling sponsorship. Last book you couldn t put down. Anything by James Rollins, David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Dan Brown. What s your fast-food guilty pleasure? A&W. What is your favourite day of the week? Thursday. Are you a cat/dog person? Dog. What is your favourite breakfast meal? French Toast. Describe your life in one word: Diverse. What is the first thing you do when you get up in the morning? Make coffee and read the news. What is your favourite TV show? Game of Thrones, Riverdale, Suits. If we re buying, you re having...? Steak. Beer or wine? Red wine. Favourite musician(s)/bands you ve seen in concert? Luke Bryan. Name one thing you worry about. Curling. Have you ever been pulled over by a cop? Multiple times. They seem to like commenting on my driving preferences. AGE: 26 BIRTHPLACE: Sherwood Park, Alta. RESIDENCE: Sherwood Park FAMILY: Single YEARS CURLED: 15 OCCUPATION: Application specalist, Spartan Controls Ltd. WE CARE CONCEPT DESIGN PRINT 300 Dewdney Avenue Regina, SK S4N 0E8 Bus: Toll Free: Fax: Crescent Point Energy is proud to sponsor the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier. crescentpointenergy.com Photo: s.yume. Used under CC BY 2.0

13 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times Saturday, March 10, THIRD SECOND LEAD ALTERNATE none none COACH arren oulding brad thiessen karrick martin Essentials AGE: 35 BIRTHDATE: Dec. 2, 1982 BORN: Calgary LIVES: Lacombe, Alta FAMILY: Son Brady 2 YEARS CURLED: 23 OCCUPATION: Head ice technician, business owner, Pinpoint Roofing Essentials AGE: 28 BIRTHDATE: March 1, 1990 BORN: Edmonton LIVES: Edmonton FAMILY: Wife Alison YEARS CURLED: 13 OCCUPATION: Web developer, LawDepot Essentials AGE: 28 BIRTHDATE: May 24, 1989 BORN: Edmonton LIVES: Edmonton FAMILY: Wife Brittany, son Kayler, 6 months OCCUPATION: Event and labour supervisor, Government of Alberta PROUD TO SPONSOR THE 2018 TIM HORTONS BRIER SILENT AUCTION Closes TODAY! Bidding ends at 7pm Beside the Brier Patch International Trade Centre Come bid on unique prizes generously donated to support youth curling programs across Canada. Don t miss your chance to bid! Amazing things happen when children participate in sport.

14 14 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier STANDINGS CHAMPIONSHIP POOL W L Canada (Gushue) 10 1 Ontario (Epping) 9 2 Alberta (Bottcher) 8 3 N. Ontario (Jacobs) 8 3 Wild Card (McEwen) 7 4 Saskatchewan (Laycock) 6 5 Manitoba (Carruthers) 5 6 Nova Scotia (Murphy) 5 6 Murray MccorMick IN THE REGINA LEADER-POST When it comes to curling coverage Murray leaves no stone unturned. SPORTS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS LEADERPOST.COM BRIER SCOREBOARD LINESCORES Seedings Pool Draw 18 9 a.m Total Yukon (Scoffin) * Nunavut (St. Louis) N.W.T. (Koe) Quebec (Fournier) * N.B. (Grattan) B.C. (Geall) * x x x x 12 5 P.E.I. (MacKenzie) N.L. (Smith) * x x x x 12 3 Championship Pool Draw 19 2 p.m Total Canada (Gushue) * N. Ontario (Jacobs) Ontario (Epping) Alberta (Bottcher) * Wild Card (McEwen) Sask. (Laycock) * Manitoba (Carruthers) Nova Scotia (Murphy) * CIMCO Refrigeration welcomes all participants and fans to the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier Draw 20 7 p.m Total Manitoba (Carruthers) x x 3 Wild Card (McEwen) * x x 8 Nova Scotia (Murphy) Sask. (Laycock) * Ontario (Epping) Canada (Gushue) * Alberta (Bottcher) x 9 N. Ontario (Jacobs) * x 3 * Last rock SCHEDULE TODAY PAGE PLAYOFFS 2 p.m. Draw 3-4 Game Alberta (Bottcher) vs. Northern Ontario (Jacobs) 7 p.m. Draw 1-2 Game Canada (Gushue) vs. Ontario (Epping) The Road To Energy Savings Starts Here Toll-Free: varaxis.ca

15 @CurlingCanada #BRIER2018 Tankard Times Saturday, March 10, All of a sudden, a big, fat 7 Jamie Grattan s seven was tailor made. James Grattan didn t see it coming, but all of a sudden it was staring him in the face. He had a shot for a seven-ender at the Tim Hortons Brier, presented by Mosaic. That s right. A seven! At the Brier! The New Brunswick skip got the converted touchdown in the fifth end of a 12-5 win over British Columbia, skipped by Sean Geall, during Friday morning s seeding draw. I ve seen in the past where you kind of see it building up, but this one they had a few biters and all of a sudden they rolled out and ticked one, and he rolled out on his last one and I m looking, Where s all the red ones now? I didn t find one in the hack, so I thought maybe there s eight in the rings already, but I found one out by the hogline. It was kind of weird because he just rolled out on his last one and left me an easy one, said Grattan. It was pretty tailor made. Geall could only smile and shrug, although he too, didn t really see it coming because he thought he had New Brunswick in tough. We were a quarter-inch away from a steal. A steal of one or (giving up) a seven at that point wasn t going to change the outcome of the game, said Geall, who was behind 5-3 without the hammer at the time. Grattan didn t disagree with that assessment. If he makes the shot through the hole, I probably don t have a shot against one. It s foolish how that happens, said the New Brunswick skip. Tankard Times EDITOR Dave Komosky ASSOCIATE EDITOR Grant Granger PHOTOGRAPHER Mike Burns Jr. PRINT PARTNERS Regina Leader-Post FRIEND OF THE 2018 TIM HORTONS BRIER everyone wins! when you buy a lottery ticket, you help saskatchewan lotteries fund over 12,000 sport, culture, recreation and community groups. That makes life better for people across saskatchewan, and that s something to cheer about! This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

16 16 Saturday, March 10, 2018 Tankard Times curling.ca/2018brier CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 The only previous national curling event he d played in was the 1979 Canadian junior championships in Calgary, where he went 6-5 as the skip for Northern Ontario. He played competitively for many years in his young adulthood but kept on running up against some of the game s icons. So he lived a dream playing this week. I battled in the years with (Ed) Werenich and (Russ and Glenn) Howard, so we didn t win a lot of games, said St. Louis. This week he battled some big boys, like 2014 Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs, who he took to the 10th end before succumbing 6-3. It s tough. We don t play enough. We don t do a lot of things enough. We re just hoping to stay in the game because it s real difficult, said St. Louis. (Curling competitively is) extremely expensive, but you ve got to start somewhere. I m thinking Nunavut needs to bring high performance north, bring high performance coaching north to do a couple of sessions, get people to realize what it s like. It s too late when you get here to figure out what to do. You ve got to know what s going to happen to here before you It s tough. We don t play enough. We don t do a lot of things enough. David St. Louis get here. Nunavut s skip at the 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts was also from St. Mary s, Amie Shackleton, who was recommended to the Nunavut team by St. Louis, who is also the chair of the host committee for the 2018 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Stratford March