2009 Tim Hortons Brier, Final: Ends 1-3

Welcome back! How many of you predicted these two teams, Manitoba and Alberta, would meet each other in the final?

End #1
Alberta has the hammer and sets up two guards on the corner. Manitoba had two on the center line, but they're doubled off (one's still a biter) and Alberta has three on the side.

MAN tries to get the play to the other side, but ALB gets it back to the other side. Stoughton tries to freeze but bounces off about 2', leaving a tap and roll for Martin to sit two. Stoughton doubles them off with a nice slice and sits on the button. Martin peels it to blank the end.

No score after 1.

End #2
After one end, Alberta is curling 97% and Manitoba is curling 100% -- very impressive!

The end starts out nicely for MAN with some minor (quarter inch?) misses by ALB. MAN has three angled in the rings behind one guard. Kennedy (2nd, ALB) nose hits the middle one. Park (vice, MAN) barely picked the red (ALB) rock out of the middle. Morris (vice, ALB) nosed the MAN rock out of the top twelve; Man sits one-two. Neither skip is too worried about the opponents rocks in the rings as they jockey for position.

Morris doubles, leaving MAN sitting one, but ALB has 2-3. Stoughton noses the top ALB rock; Martin decides to try for a raise tap-out and rolls the shooter behind the center guard. Stoughton is left with not much other than a freeze attempt to the ALB rock that's on the button. A bit narrow and rubs on the guard, leaving a hit-and-stick by Martin for three.

Alberta 3, Manitoba 0

End #3
Alberta starts with two on the center line in the top of the rings, MAN with a corner guard. Kennedy slashes off the corner guard and doubles off a MAN rock in the rings. Amazing shot!

As the end develops, Alberta has three the same distance back of the t-line, and Manitoba keeps trying to freeze to them, but bumps just a bit, and Alberta picks 'em out. Stoughton is forced to draw for one.

Alberta 3, Manitoba 1