Defending champion Einarson shakes off early rust to defeat Duncan at Scotties

Team Canada skip Kerri Einarson, left, directs her team as third Val Sweeting sweeps as they play Ontario at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont. on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

Two-time defending champion Kerri Einarson stole three points in the fourth end then scored four in the sixth for a 12-5, eight-end win over Ontario's Hollie Duncan in her first game at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts on Saturday.

Einarson, from Gimli, Man., trailed 2-0 after the opening end. Facing three Ontario rocks, she made a takeout in the second for a point, then tied the game when she stole a single in the third after Duncan missed on a hit and roll.

Duncan was light on a draw in the fourth, allowing Einarson to steal three, then Einarson took control notching four in the sixth for a 9-4 lead.

In a see-saw game, Quebec's Laurie St-Georges used steals in the 10 and extra end to defeat Alberta's Laura Walker 9-8. Walker used a highlight-reel takeout in the eighth to score four points and take an 8-5 lead.

In other early matches, Manitoba's Mackenzie Zacharias edged Mary-Anne Arsenault of B.C. 6-5 while Christina Black of Nova Scotia defeated Kerry Galusha of the N.W.T. 7-5.

The competition to crown the Canadian women's curling champion is being held in Thunder Bay, Ont., at the Fort Williams Gardens. Due to COVID-19 concerns the event is being held without fans or media in the building.

Curling Canada has scrapped plans to offer a modified ticket plan for the final three days of the event, which ends Feb. 6.

"After careful thought and consideration, the risks of opening the venue after establishing protocols were not favourable in keeping all participants safe," Curling Canada CEO Katherine Henderson said in a release on Saturday.

A positive test forced Tracey Fleury, the skip of the Wild Card 1 rink from Manitoba, to miss Friday night's opening draw.

The Saskatchewan team skipped by Penny Barker said via social media that coach Mark Lang was also in protocol.

TSN analyst Russ Howard also tested positive and is in isolation.

This year's event will feature a modified 18-team draw and the return of the Page playoff system.

The tournament features two pools of nine, seeded based on their final standing on the Canadian Team Ranking System as of Jan. 10, 2022.

There will be an eight-game round robin with the top three teams in each pool advancing to an expanded Page playoff system.

The Scotties champion will represent Canada at the 2022 Women's Curling Championship in Prince George, B.C., from March 19-27.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2021.