Gushue's rink thumps Japan 11-2 at Pan Continental Curling Championships

Canada Skip Brad Gushue watches after delivering a stone against Germany during the World Men's Curling Championships, Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

CALGARY -

Canada's Brad Gushue improved to 2-1 at the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championships with an 11-2 win over Japan in Wednesday's early draw.

Gushue's team from St. John's, N.L., opened with three points and added a big four-point fourth end in the lopsided win.

The Canadians capped the scoring with a steal of two in the seventh end, prompting Japanese skip Riku Yanagisawa to concede.

In other early draw results, New Zealand routed Brazil 13-3, South Korea downed the United States 10-6 and Chinese Taipei beat Australia 9-4.

Gushue was scheduled to face South Korea in Wednesday's late draw.

Later, Canada's women's team skipped by Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., improved to 4-0 with an 11-6 win over Australia in the afternoon draw at the Winsport Event Centre.

Canada took its first lead of the contest in the fourth end, scoring three points to go up 4-3. Einarson followed with a steal of two in the fifth to open up a three-point lead.

Australia scored a deuce in the sixth to cut the lead to one, but Canada scored three in the seventh to open a four-point cushion at 9-5.

Australia scored one in the eighth before Canada capped the scoring with two in the ninth.

A top-five finish will secure a berth for Einarson's team in the March 18-26 world women's championship in Sandviken, Sweden. As host country, Canada already has a berth in the April 1-9 world men's playdowns in Ottawa.

In other afternoon results, Japan thumped Brazil 11-2, the United States routed Hong Kong 13-1 and South Korea defeated New Zealand 10-6.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2022.