2009 Scott Final, Ends 4 and 5

I hate to say this, but where are the hair stylists when we need them??? I understand that hard sweeping might lead to some disshevelment, but does it have to be like that???

End #4:
As the 4th end begins, team Canada leads BC 3-2. And once again, rather than show us the leads' shots, TSN must show us crapola. Sheesh. The curlers get a break equal in time to the length of the commercial break, but then they start curling while TSN shows its junk.

No guards as we go to the seconds' stones but there are some stones clustered near the button. This end could be a jam-up. Gushulak's guard is pretty light, leaving a double opportunity for Officer (Canada's 2nd). She removed one, but Gushulak has little left other than a freeze attempt -- gets a bump, leaving the BC stones very slightly exposed to a double opportunity by Cathy O. Magnificent double: not a tremendously hard shot, says Ms. Eclectic, but it sure looked impressive to me. MacInnes replies with a runback pickoff of one Team Canada stone, but not the one on the button. Cathy O tries a freeze, comes up 6" short, and MacInnes makes an impressive runback to remove one and move the other.

Now Team Canada must try to freeze into the pocket with Jones' first rock to keep BC from scoring two, but it was a bit heavy, leaving plenty of separation. So with her first stone, Mallet tries to run back the long guard for a double of the Team Canada stones, which she pulled off really well! Wow, again!

Jones tries a double, but is wide of the broom and gets only one, leaving a draw for two for BC.

BC 4, Canada 3

End #5:
Why, oh why, can't TSN show us the first shot of an end??? Grrrrr.

The end opens with BC putting a rock in the top 4 and guard, and Team Canada putting up a corner guard but missing with an attempt to come around the guards. Officer removes two guards and leaves the only shot in the rings (BC stone) wide open. Gushalak guards it, and Jones asks Officer to remove a truckload of granite from the front of the rings. She didn't quite get the shot, but she did remove one guard and move the shot rock off to the side of the rings. Rather than guard it, Mallett comes around the guard into the rings to sit two.

Big miss by Cathy O, blamed by the TSN announcers on Jones for calling for too much sweeping. BC puts another in the rings, but it's open and sets up at least one double opportunity for Team Canada, but it overcurled a bit and they got only one.

Skips's stones. Mallett was narrow with her first shot. It removed the Team Canada shot, but she lost her shooter. So Jones tries to draw to the top 4 behind the guard with her first rock. It's not completely behind cover, and it's touching the t-line. Mallett is set up for a freeze attempt to force Jones to take one. But Mallett came up about a foot light, leaving Jones with a draw to the full 4' to get two. She looked a half-inch heavy to me, but I guess BC thought it was good enough for Team Canada to score 2.

Canada 5, BC 4 after the 5th end.