Team Canada’s Brad Gushue is playing for their sixth Brier title after a 7-3 win after nine ends of play with Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher.
After Bottcher made a draw to the button with his last sitting half-buried, Gushue made a soft tap with his last to score two in the first end.
Bottcher answered with two of his own in the second end after a pair of missed run-backs by Canada third Mark Nichols, tying the game heading to the third end.
After a blank in the third, Gushue scored his two in the fourth with a draw into the paint. Gushue then made an incredible double take-out to clear the house. Bottcher threw his last one through the house, resulting in another blank end.
Facing four in the sixth end, Bottcher threw a draw to the button for a single point, giving Gushue the hammer back with a 4-3 lead.
A well-executed end from Bottcher led to Gushue hitting for just one in the seventh end, taking a 5-3 lead into the eighth.
With Gushue sitting two buried, Bottcher attempted a double take-out for at least one but missed it wide, giving up a steal of one.
Gushue took a commanding three-point lead into the ninth, where Bottcher tried a triple to score one or blank the end, but it was unsuccessful. He gave up another steal of one and conceded the game.
Gushue’s Team Canada awaits the winner of the semifinal between Bottcher and Team Saskatchewan’s Mike McEwen at 12:00 PM on Sunday.
