2011 Scotties Final: Team Canada vs. Saskatchewan: Second half

I love these breaks. I get a chance to get up, walk around, rummage for some food (nice muffins that Ms. Eclectic sent back with me when I returned to Regina from Ontario; also some celery that was surprisingly not moldy).

The differential in curling percentages between the two teams has narrowed considerably. Through the first half, SK curled 85% and TC curled 82%. The TSN announcers all remarked that SK has curled pretty well. But they have also suggested that TC leads more because of good strategies compared with those of SK.

End #6

Askin starts with two near the center line in the rings. Kalenchuk (lead, SK) starts with two corner guards. Guard, peel, etc. TSchneider removes one of the TC rocks and sticks in the rings; Lawes hits it and rolls to the other side.

ARRRGHHH Can we do without the interviews during the end????

SK hits and sticks on the TC shot stone.

ARRRGHHH please make sure you show the shots!!

KSchneider draws around a TC guard, but drifts a bit behind the t-line. Jones tries to follow it and freeze to it, but wrecks on the guard and spins to the centre. So Holland draws another one around the guard, and this one is in front of the t-line for second shot. In response, Jones tries a come-around to the button and drifts to the back four for shot rock. Wow, Jones is on! Holland will try the same path, roughly, to try to tap it back to score three. A really, REALLY tough shot attempted. She makes it to score 3!

Can 6, SK 6

Interestingly both Russ and Linda were talking as if they thought SK should not try that shot...

End #7

SK starts the end with a tight centre guard, and TC comes around it to the top 4'. SK removes that rock, and TC removes the SK rock, but neither managed to roll behind the centre guard. But TSchneider did, leaving SK with a guard and a rock behind it top 8'. Officer peeled the guard but missed the double (as of now, she has the lowest curling percentage on the ice at 77%). SK puts up another guard, which again Officer peels without getting the double. KSchneider replaces the guard, but it's too tight; Lawes runs the guard back, but her rock rolls over as a corner guard, and leaves a SK rock on the corner 12' on the opposite side. KSchneider's second shot is touching the top8', SK sitting 2. Lawes hits the outside SK rock, trying to roll behind the other one, but rolls out. TC is not making the good shots right now.

Holland tries to tap back the SK rock in the top of the rings, but I'm not sure this a good choice since it will leave a double for Jones. Russ and Linda seem to agree with me on this. But the shooter looks as if it rolled out and she jammed the double, leaving a SK rock in the back 4'. Next shot, I'd draw around a guard and force one, but Holland tries to hit and roll; instead, her shooter rolls out, leaving a peel and a blank opportunity for Jones.

Can 6, SK 6

End #8

I'm still shaking my head about the last end. This one opens with a SK centre guard, a TC rock in the rings, SK hit and roll but not behind the guard, TC hit and roll out. Seconds rocks: TSchneider goes around the guard to the back of the button, Officer bumps it back a bit and rolls to the side 8'; hit by TSchneider is open, but TC ignores it and draws behind the centre guard to the top 8'. Brushing error on KSchneider's rock, and she wrecked on the guard, sitting open top 4'. Lawes removes that rock and bumps back another SK rock. Nose hit by KSchneider on shot rock. Another nose hit, this one by Lawes. Going to skip's stones, SK is shot, but TC has two that are really close in the top 8'. Nice hit and roll behind a guard (mostly) by Holland, forcing a draw by Jones to the top of the button with her first stone. Great shot. Holland will try to follow it down and freeze it to force TC to take one point this end, but it's barely a corner freeze, leaving Jones with a bump for two, but ends up taking only one.

Can 7, SK 6

End #9

Rocks rolling into the rings and being removed. A succession of nose hits leaves a TC corner guard. TSchneider nose hits it, too. So Jones asks Officer to draw around it, but she wrecks on the guard, rolling into the rings; TSchneider hits it and rolls, but not behind a guard. Lawes hits and rolls out. KSchneider clears the guard but drifts too far back. As expected, Lawes freezes to that rock. KSchneider misses again in the sense that her second shot was light, ending outside the rings. Jones wrecks on the guards. Holland draws around the guards but is half open. Jones barely peeled it, leaving a draw for one for Holland.

Can 7, SK 7

End #10

With the score tied, TC has the hammer coming home and is in great shape to win the 2011 Scott Tournament of Hearts, despite not having the higher curling percentage.

SK starts with a long centre guard. TC draws to the top 4'. SK draws to top 12'. Askin flashes on a pick attempt, so the game is afoot. Officer peels the long guard. TSchneider puts up another long guard. Officer peels again. KSchneider replaces the long guard. Lawes peels the guard. KSchneider's next guard attempt is too tight to the rings and the other SK guard, but Lawes misses the double attempt. Time out. The coach wants SK to play a tap up; Amber Holland opts for a come-around. It's shot rock, but it's pretty exposed again, having cleared the guard by at least 8". Jones can hit it and hopes for a roll behind the guards. But she rolls out to the edge of the rings. So with her last rock, Holland will try the draw one more time. Draw to the button and fully guarded. The only shot left for TC is a double raise: SK-TC-SK to leave TC shot for the win. She made the shot but the raised rock rolled out, and Saskatchewan wins the 2011 Scott Tournament of Hearts.