GRANDE PRAIRIE — Saskatchewan’s Cathy Inglis is a single win away from the playoff round at the Canadian Masters Curling Championship.
Inglis and her Yorkton foursome of third Joan McCusker, second Patsy Kuspira and lead Bev Fuches split their two games on Friday and now have a 6-2 record, good enough for a tie for second place in the women’s draw.
That means a win in their final round robin game Saturday morning sends Inglis to the playoffs, a loss drops them into a potential multi-team tie for the fourth and final championship round spot.
Saskatchewan opened play Friday with an 11-3 win over Northern Ontario’s Team Loney, scoring four in the second in and stealing points the next two frames for a 6-1 lead. Loney got two back in the fifth, but Inglis replied with a deuce in the sixth and steal of three in the seventh to bring things to an early end.
Luck wasn’t on Inglis’ side in the nightcap against New Brunswick’s Team Graham as they gave up a steal in the eighth to drop a 5-4 decision. Graham picked up points the first two ends before Inglis put up three in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead. The teams then exchanged forces the next two ends before Graham scored one to tie things up 4-4 coming home.
Inglis closes out the round robin at 10 a.m. on Saturday against Nova Scotia’s Team Saulnier, with a win sending her into the semifinals later in the day.
The news wasn’t as good for Weyburn’s Jim Nikolejsin, third Jaime Miller, second Ray Calbow and lead Darcy Cretin, as they split their two games to fall to 3-5 and out of playoff contention in the men’s championship pool.
Saskatchewan opened the day against Northern Ontario’s Team Gordon and initially kept their playoff hopes alive with a 7-5 victory. Nikolejsin picked up single points the first two ends in that contest and gave up a pair in the third before the teams exchanged single points for a 3-3 tie heading into the break. Saskatchewan took control of things with three in the sixth, and after Gordon picked up a deuce in the seventh, Nikolejsin finished things off with a single point in the eighth.
It was a tougher showing in Saskatchewan’s second game of the day against Prince Edward Island’s Team MacAulay. Nikolejsin held a 2-1 lead through three ends when things started to turn MacAulay’s way, as they scored two in the fifth, held Saskatchewan to one in the sixth, added another deuce in the seventh and then stole two in the eighth to wrap up the win.
Nikolejsin wraps up his nationals appearance on Saturday morning when they take on Nova Scotia’s Team Robinson.
