Day 2 - Canadian Nationals - Draw 2

Defending champions BC had all they could handle in their morning draw against the rookies from Ontario. There are some notes from the game at the end of this post, but the decisive play was with skip stones in the 8th end.

Ontario had hammer down one, and were sitting at least 3 with no obvious way into the house for BC. After a timeout, BC decided on a long run back, which though didn't threaten shot stones, did open a narrow port.

Ontario attempted to block it with a guard that was overcurled enough to widen the port, and Gerry Austgarden threw an upweight hit on shot stone back 4. He had to stick and he did. Bruce Cameron attempted to follow him down to at least force an extra end, but was light and BC won 8-6.

Though his overall statistics were not impressive, Austgarden made key shots and saved the game. For Ontario, Doug Morris at 3rd threw an impressive 69% to set up his skip, but it came down to a single tough but makeable last rock that didn't reach its target.

BC are the only team to have won both their matches, while Quebec are still looking for their first win after being blanked by Manitoba 9-0.

In other games Nova Scotia beat BC Host 8-6, Alberta downed Saskatchewan 8-4 and N. Ontario brought Newfoundland and Labrador back to earth with a 10-1 win.


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Draw two of the Canadian National Championships begins at 9.30. We'll be keeping an eye on the BC vs Ontario game, and updating scores of the other games as well. N. Ontario plays Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba plays Quebec, BC Host plays Nova Scotia, and Alberta plays Saskatchewan.

End 1

Ontario had the hammer and the first 4 stones went to the back of the rings.  Seconds missed all their shots.  BC then threw up a guard.  Ontario made a comearound.  BC came around on top of it.  Ontario chipped shot stone to sit 2.

BC's first skip stone crashed on the guard.  Bruce's first skip stone tapped his shot stone to the back 4.  Gerry hit shot stone but rolled away.  BC sat 1.  Bruce drew to the 4 ft for his 2nd point.

BC 0 - ON 2

2nd end

BC sat 4 after seconds' stones with a succession of taps and rolls leaving a ring of biters to the left side of the sheet.

Bruce's final stone had to be shot to avoid giving up 4.  It stopped back 12 for 2nd shot.  Gerry with his final shot attempted to tap Bruce's stone out but was tight on the guard and rolled to the 4ft.  On a measure, BC scored 2 to tie it.

Other games - NO 4 - NL 0 after 2 ends.  AB are 3-1 up over SK after 2, and MB lead QC 4-0, and NS lead BC HOST 2-0 after 2.


End 3

Ontario's second is legally blind and uses a bright light on the broom.

ON is shot stone on the back centre line.  They call for a guard at the top of the house but it slid back 4.  Frank tried a double takeout, but chipped out just one, and ON is still shot back 4.

Gerry thew a 9.1 second take out through the port to hit and stick. BC lying 1, back 4.

Bruce tries to come through the same port, but nicks a guard and promotes a BC stone to second shot.  It looks like BC is lying 2.

Gerry's second stone is through the port but a bit heavy and comes to the back 4, giving Ontario a pocket to save the end.

Bruce is also a bit light. The stone overcurled at the end, and BC steals 2 by an inch.  It's 4-2 BC at the end of 3rd.

4th end
BC comes in to the button with their first.  Ontario executes an angle freeze.  BC's second stone is back 12.  Ontario taps BC to the back of the button to sit 2.

BC tried to take out the shot stone, but it looks wide of the broom. They remove their own and the shooter rolls to the back 12.

Ontario sit three now in the 4 ft, and there are no guards. Whitney removes one stone and rolls to the 8ft in front of the tee line for 3rd shot.

ON needs something up front to protect their stone --- they throw a long centre line guard.  Frank attempts to pick out shot stone and flashes.

Ontario puts up a long corner guard.  There's still a port there.

What a shot. Frank comes through the port, taps the shot stone out and rolls to the button for shot, behind the ON stone.

Bruce's comearound attempt crashes on the guard, but that does clear the front.

Gerry's guard attempt curls too much, leaving Bruce a chance to hit his own second shot and push BC out the back. But...his attempt curled fiercely at the end, and he pushes his own stone out.  Gerry has an open hit to sit 3.

He's short, in front of the house, guarding his own.  That leaves Bruce the same shot for 2.  He gets 1.

BC 4 - ON 3, and BC gets the hammer after the break.

In other games NO 4 - NL - after 3; AB 5 - SK 1 after 3; MB over QC 5-0; NS 4 - HOST 0.


5th end

All of the first five rocks are in front of the house.  BC tried to open up the front, but crash on the guard and roll across the rings.  That might be biting top 12.

BC are trying to peel the ON stone on the centre line but the stone crashes on another guard and rolls out.

ON try to tap the one in the top 12, but it slides past and stops back 12. ON lies one for sure, and maybe 2 if that really is a biter in front.

Frank tries to eliminate the front stone, and goes by it.  He just misses the one in the back and slides out.

Ontario tries to come through the port, but they're short and push that possible biter up an inch so it's counting for sure.  There is a wall of Ontario stones in front.

BC peel the centre line guard, but stick, almost replacing it.

ON has a pile of rocks on the right side of the house (as we look atit) and Bruce tries to draw in on the open (left) side.  The line is good but he's heavy.  He's either out the back or that's another biter.

BC comes around and ends up back 4 but wide open.  ON could tap it back, or remove it.  But the rock slips out the back.

Gerry draws to the button for the second point.

BC6 - ON 3

End 6

Ontario came into the house, t-line.  BC tapped it out. ON froze to the BC stone in the top 12. BC split the house with another stone top 8.

Ontario plays a tap back on the one in the 8 ft.  They move it to the edge and roll in to the button.  ON is shot.

BC removes that.  They are lying one for sure, and it's close for 2nd stone.  They may be one and two.

Ontario puts one in the top 8 for shot, but it's wide open.

BC flashes on the take out attempt.

Ontario brings another one in.  BC remove their own stone. Ontario is lying 3.

Bruce asks for the shot stone to be tapped back.  The attempt is short, leaving a centre line guard now.

BC tries again to remove the troublesome ON stone, and instead removes their own.  ON now lying 2.  Bruce tries to come into the house and end up behind the centre line guard.  The line looked right but he slipped out the back.

BC tries to tap his own back, but removes it and rolls away.  ON is lying 2.  This is a draw for 3.  Right on the pin. ON takes 3 and the score is tied at 6.

Scores

NO 8 - NL 1 after 5

AB 7 - SK 2 after 5

MB 8 - QC 0 after 5

NS 6 - BC HOST 3 after 5


End 7

Ontario sitting 2 on the tee line and attempt to guard with their last stone.  The guard overcurls, and Gerry throws an upweight shot that hits and sticks for one.

BC7 - ON6.  Ontario is down one with the hammer coming home.


Other scores
AB 8 - SK 2 after 6
NS 7 - HOST 3 after 6
MB beat QC, it's at least 10 - 6, we're waiting for it to be posted.
NO defeated NL 10 -1


End 8

At skip stones ON are sitting 3 behind 3 guards.  BC have no obvious way in and have called a time out.  Their options are a long runback or a deflection off a wide Ontario stone in the 12 ft.

It looks like they're going to runback the guard or at least clear the guard off so they have a shot with their last stone.  And that's what they do, the shot opens up a small port.

Bruce will try to close that off --- he has to score 2.  He was a little too heavy, wicks off the guard and opens the port a little more.

BC has a shot through that port.  Gerry's shot it perfect, removing the ON shot stone and sticking.  Bruce has the same shot for 3.

He's short, and BC wins.