Ontario's Howard opens Brier with dramatic win, Saskatchewan's McEwen starts strong
REGINA -- Howard fists pumped in triumph on the ice and on the bench at the Canadian men's curling championship Saturday when Ontario's Scott Howard threw a walk-off double takeout for the first Brier win of his career as a skip.
The son of four-time Canadian and world champion Glenn -- who is coaching Scott's foursome in Regina -- skimmed a guard and made the double to score three for a 7-5 win over B.C.'s Catlin Schneider.
Scott was under pressure with just 18 seconds remaining on Ontario's time clock when he delivered his last stone.
"You want to have the rock in your hand in the 10th end and I knew the shot was there and we were running out of time," the 33-year-old said. "I've always wanted to skip in a Brier and this is the time that's come true."
In other Pool A openers Saturday, Reid Carruthers beat Matt Dunstone 7-5 in an all-Manitoba matchup, Alberta's Brendan Bottcher earned an 11-3 win over Andrew Symonds of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Northern Ontario's Trevor Bonot defeated New Brunswick's James Grattan 9-4.
Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen (2-0) grabbed the early lead in Pool B with a 7-6 win in the evening over defending champion Brad Gushue.
"I love how we played this game," McEwen said. "It wasn't sneaking out one. It was a solid team performance. We've got to take advantage of when Brad and his team are not at their best, and they weren't at their best tonight."
Said Gushue: "Mike outplayed me. Mike played really well. I didn't play anywhere near as good as I usually do, so take it on the chin and come out ready tomorrow."
Alberta's Aaron Sluchinski (1-0) had the night off. Gushue, Alberta's Kevin Koe, Northwest Territories' Jamie Koe, Quebec's Julien Tremblay and Prince Edward Island's Tyler Smith were all 1-1.
Kevin Koe defeated younger brother Jamie 8-4, Tremblay beat Nunavut's Shane Latimer 11-4, and Smith picked up an 11-7 win over Nova Scotia's Matt Manuel (0-2).
Scott Howard played third for his father twice in five previous appearances at the Brier. Glenn was skipping Scott's team until a knee injury forced him out of the lineup in December.
Scott, David Mathers and Tim March won Ontario men's provincials as a three-man team before adding Mat Camm to play second in Regina.
Glenn's fist flew into the air at the same time as his son's Saturday.
"As soon as my knee went out in early December, the three of them raised their game exponentially," said Glenn, 61. "Scott took the helm as skip and he owns that position right now. I was just so proud of him to be able to come out and do that. You can see he's comfortable out there. He doesn't mind throwing the last shot."
The top three teams in each pool of nine advance to a six-team playoff round, from which the four Page playoff teams will emerge.
The Montana's Brier winner March 10 represents Canada at the world championship March 30 to April 7 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and returns to the 2025 Brier in Kelowna, B.C., as defending champion.
The victor also earns a berth in next year's Olympic trials pending a top-six result at the world championship.
While the Howard name is prominent in Canadian curling circles, Scott acknowledged his team may be somewhat of an unknown in Regina given the late lineup shuffle this season.
"I'm sure a lot of people think we're a mystery team with Matt coming on," Scott said. "Skipping is not my regular position, but we've been doing some damage on the tour.”
“I've been lucky to come to a few Briers now. I feel confident. It's always a learning curve skipping that national event. To get that first win at the Brier means so much because it's a tough field and every win is so important here."
Watching his son pull out a dramatic win in his Brier debut as a skip carried extra emotional weight for dad.
"You don't want him to miss a bad shot. It hits the heart a little deeper. By the same token, when he makes a shot like that, it hits the heart that much deeper," Glenn said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 2, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Jubilation and gunfire as Syrians celebrate the end of the Assad family's half-century rule
Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, putting an end to the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region.
Most Canadians would avoid buying U.S. products post-Trump tariff: Nanos survey
A majority of Canadians would be hesitant to buy U.S. goods in response to the proposed American tariff on products from Canada, according to a new survey.
Trump calls for 'immediate ceasefire' in Ukraine after meeting Zelenskyy in Paris
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, shortly after a meeting in Paris with French and Ukrainian leaders, claiming Kyiv 'would like to make a deal' to end the more than 1,000-day war.
Canadians turn domestic for holiday travel, with weak loonie discouraging U.S. trips
After turning abroad for holiday vacations last year, more Canadians are keeping their travel plans in-country this Christmas season due to squeezed budgets, lower domestic fares and a decisive end to the post-pandemic boom in overseas travel — and now a slumping currency.
Renovations underway to return one of the last Quonset-style theatres in Canada back to former glory
Community members in the small town of Coleman, Alta. are eagerly waiting for the grand re-opening of the historic Roxy Theatre now that renovations have started.
Search for UnitedHealthcare CEO's killer yields evidence, but few answers
As the search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer goes on, investigators are reckoning with a tantalizing dichotomy: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma.
More than 900 people died in Jonestown. Guyana wants to turn it into a tourist attraction
Guyana is revisiting a dark history nearly half a century after U.S. Rev. Jim Jones and more than 900 of his followers died in the rural interior of the South American country.
MP Jamil Jivani meets U.S. vice president-elect amid Trump's tariff threats
A Conservative member of Parliament has tapped a longtime friendship to connect with Donald Trump's inner circle as Canada prepares for the president-elect’s return to the White House next month amid threats of devastating tariffs.
Superior Court authorizes class action against junior hockey league over abuse of minors
The Quebec Superior Court authorized the institution of a class action aimed at compensating all minors who suffered abuse while playing in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).