With one round robin game remaining, Brad Jacobs and his team representing Northern Ontario at the 2022 Tim Hortons Brier in Lethbridge, Alta. continue to be in the hunt for a playoff spot.
The Jacobs rink, which includes third Marc Kennedy, second E.J. Harnden, lead Ryan Harnden, and alternate Jordan Chandler dropped an 8-6 decision to Manitoba’s Mike McEwen in the afternoon draw of the 10-day event.
With the loss, Jacobs will take a 5-2 record into the final day of round robin action on Thursday and set second in Pool B behind Brad Gushue’s wild card team, who is unbeaten at 6-0.
Looking to blank the opening end by removing a Jacobs rock from the house, McEwen hit it straight on and stuck around, scoring one in the process to take the league through one end.
After blanking the second end, Jacobs came up short on a tough draw against a pair of McEwen rocks to give up a steal of one.
After McEwen jammed a Jacobs rock on one of his own attempting a runback to remove, Jacobs made a draw for a pair to tie the game at two through four ends.
McEwen took a 4-2 lead in the sixth end with a draw for a pair.
Jacobs cut the lead in half with a single in the seventh end.
In the eighth end, McEwen made a draw for three to take a 4-3 lead, but Jacobs would get the three right back in the ninth end with a hit and stick, sending the game to the 10th end with McEwen leading 7-6.
McEwen sealed the win with a hit and stick for one in the final end.
The Jacobs rink will wrap up round robin action with one game on Thursday. The team will face Nova Scotia’s Paul Flemming in the evening draw, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Sault time.
Thursday’s results will determine the final playoff spots in both pools.
Gushue is currently the lone team in Pool B to have clinched a playoff spot.
Jacobs, Jason Gunnlaugson (5-2), and McEwen (4-2) are in the mix for the other two spots. Pending results on Thursday, Flemming and B.C.s Brent Pierce could force tiebreakers with wins of their own and some help.
The top three teams in each pool following the round robin advance to the expanded playoff format.
The second- and third-place teams in each pool meet Friday afternoon with the winners facing the top teams in the evening draw.
The page playoff games are set for March 12 with semifinal and final action set for the following day.