Final End, Bronze Medal Game - Nova Scotia Runs Ontario out of Rocks and wins

After nine ends, Nova Scotia leads 9-5 and has outcurled Ontario 85% to 74%. But those curling percentages don't tell the whole story: The lead for Ontario (Weagle) has curled 92%, but the rest of the team has been in the 60s. In other words, Ontario has lost this game at least as much as Nova Scotia has won it. Nevertheless, I'm not sure I agree with Alan's comment that they don't care as much about this game (but then who knows what's going on in their minds). I can readily imagine they were more pumped for the 3-4 playoff, but I should think this game would also be viewed as significant.

As has happened before, once Ontario gave up a big end, they didn't seem to be able to bounce back. And as both Russ and Linda pointed out throughout the game, Ontario strategies often left much to be explained. Even I, a novice, wondered about some of the calls in the 9th end.

In the 10th end, as expected, Ontario struggles to put up guards and curl around them. Nova Scotia tries to clear them. Eventually, Heather Smith-Dacey knocked out one of the three Ontario rocks in the rings, to run Ontario out of rocks. For some reason, Curlcast awarded Ontario 2 points and posted that Nova Scotia won 9-7. Not that it matters for anything other than gamblers, but is that the way official scores are always reported? Seems odd to me, since the Ontario skip, Homan, could just as easily have thrown another draw and ended up with a score of 9-8. How odd!

I'm happy to watch championship curling, but this ain't it. I'm with Alan on this one: it wouldn't break my heart if they abandon the experiment of having a bronze-medal game.