Einarson survives challenge from Brown, improves to 3-1 at Scotties

Team Canada skip Kerri Einarson, centre, makes a shot as alternate Krysten Karwacki, left, and second Shannon Birchard sweep while playing Team Northern Ontario at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Canada's Kerri Einarson continued her drive toward a fifth straight Canadian women's curling title Monday with a 9-8 win over British Columbia's Corryn Brown at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Brown's team forced an extra end with two in the ninth and a steal of two in the 10th to tie it at 8-8, but Einarson made the most of having the hammer in the 11th and scored one on a hit and stick.

Einarson's rink from Gimli, Man., improved to 3-1, tied for second in Pool A with rookie Saskatchewan skip Skylar Ackerman.

Einarson is playing without longtime lead Briane Harris, who was deemed ineligible to play hours before the tournament kicked off for undisclosed reasons. Alternate Krysten Karwacki has taken Harris's spot in Calgary.

The 22-year-old Ackerman suffered her first defeat of the tournament, losing 7-3 to Quebec's Laurie St-Georges.

Alberta's Selena Sturmay led the pool at 3-0. She was idle in Monday's morning draw but was set to take on Ackerman in the evening.

St-Georges improved to 2-1.

In other early results Monday, Northern Ontario's Krista McCarville (2-2) downed Prince Edward Island's Jane DiCarlo (0-4) by a score of 9-5, and Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes (1-2) picked up an 8-3 win over Newfoundland and Labrador's Stacie Curtis (0-3).

Two more draws were scheduled for Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2024.