The Brier - Draw #3

Hoping TSN will feature Alberta-Quebec.
Yes! That is what we get.
END #1: Joining at the end, as I was caught up in Stephanooulos, especially since he had Cokie Roberts on the panel. Menard makes a stunning double through a tiny port. Martin has to draw, very nicely, for 1. Quebec should be very happy.
END #2: Missed.
END #3: Missed - we are into the 4th end 2-2.
END #4: Freeze upon freeze upon freeze - both teams close to perfect in that phase. Very hard to describe. To quote Martin, "Ours aren't welded on his, his are welded on ours." Morris clears a front guard and pops a couple of the rocks into less threatening positions, making Alberta shot in the end. Quebec misses on an attempt to sit in the house - mini wreck on a front guard, leaving Alberta more chances to clean up. Morris falls short, promoting Quebec to shot rock. Again, from Martin, "It's kind of skeet shooting right now", referring to learning the ice. Quebec are skeet shooting too and leave Alberta a very nice opportunity to fill the house with their rocks. Martin does OK and lies 2. Still lots of Quebec and Alberta rocks in the house. "le Boom-Boom". Love that bit of Quebec French. Menard misses but puts another rock into the complication. Martin tries to configure things to rule out a two from Quebec; very nice! Alberta lie three. Menard seems a bit baffled. He will draw for one, on the side of the house nobody has played to this end. And he makes it!
Meanwhile the elder Howard steals two against Saskatchewan and now leads 4-2.
END #5: Kathy Gauthier thinks there is serious uncertainty about weight - we had a hog-line, and rock that came up WAY short. Skip rocks now to come, Alberta sittwo, all behind some cover, with a Quebec rock lying third. Plan is to run back a Quebec center line guard. It sort of works, and Alberta now lie one, exposed. Martin notes that this is his first draw! It comes as needed into the eight-foot, but is open. Menard misses a freeze and leaves Alberta an easy hit for three. Which he makes perfectly. 5-3 Alberta.
END #6: Wandered off for a bit. Nice weather. Back to find Alberta lying 6, some pretty well protected. Menard uses his first rock to try to open up the front of the house, but Alberta still has a rock up front and Martin has a rock to throw too.
Did Kathy Gauthier just refer to "the draw to the Tim Horton's button"? I am grateful to Tim for the sponsorship but that seems to go too far, even to get the morning draws televised.
Martin puts a rock up front. Quebec can really only limit damages. He holds the steal to one.
I may just check in intermittently now as this seems somewhat settled.
And so it was with Alberta winning in the end. You cannot give Martin three in an end and hope to prevail. The elder Howard also won his match.