Brier, Page 1-2 Playoff, Continued

After a truly horrible curling performance myself, we watched the skips' stones of end four at the curling club, and the entire place was going wild! Amazing freeze by Howard, amazing run-back by Martin, etc.

In the fifth end, Hart didn't quite roll the way he wanted, and Martin forced Howard to take one

Ontario 4, Alberta 3 after 5.

Then we made a mad dash home from the curling club to catch the last half of the sixth end.

End #6
As I started watching, the house was really full, but Kennedy threw a rock that cleared out a bunch of them. Hart came up short with a guard. Morris wrecked on an outside guard, but rolled in to sit second shot. Howard nosed it to sit three. Martin barely cleared the centre guard and took out Ontario's shot rock. Wow! Howard picked it (not quite all the way out) and is sitting 4 now. Martin draws to take one.

Ontario 4, Alberta 4 after 6

End #7
There's a ritualistic dance as both teams pretend to try to keep things clean but also try to keep their options open. Hit-stick; hit-peel-roll; etc. Morris rolls behind an Ontario guard, and Hart runs it. Martin draws behind the only guard on the ice. Howard makes a straight run back and is sitting one. Martin barely it out, so Howard throws his through to blank the end.

End #8
This end is shaping up to be more interesting. Guards followed by draws to the button by both teams. Then Laing runs back the centre guard to leave on Alberta rock in the top 4'. Another Alberta guard, and Laing peels only one guard while trying to get two of them. Another Alberta guard, and Hart peels it plus the tight Alberta guard. Yet another Alberta guard, Hart runs it back to peel it and the rock in the rings.

Aside to TSN: Please, please can the puns.

Martin comes around the corner guards. Howard runs a guard and peels the Martin rock. Martin makes a perfect come-around draw, leaving Howard with no option but to draw for one.

Ontario 5, Alberta 4 after 8.