Scotties Draw 16

We are getting into elimination territory. TSN is featuring Canada versus Nova Scotia, both able to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, with Ontario winning this morning, PEI has lost its shot at the playoffs.
The teams have traded singletons with the hammer for three ends, with skip shots on both sides not quite forcing the single, but the final shot not making the double. Canada, with the initial hammer, is up 2-1.

In the fourth end we now have a NS rock apparently just outside the rings, but, needless almost to say, Jennifer Jones gives it one careful look. In then it does not matter as NS take one to tie it up 2-2.

In the fifth end we have yet another biter that might or might not be in! Canada has put some wonderful rocks also barely into the front of the house behind the cover of a pair of center-line guards. And Nova Scotia has been stripping them and the guards to a degree. Lawes puts a beauty behind cover in the front of the eight-ffot. It is fun watching her banter with Jones - it seems a bit like mother and daughter, and I doubt that Cathy Overton offered Jones that relationship in recent years. Smith comes up short in a freeze attempt. Jones puts another beside it. Smith misses a runback to leave Jones a draw to the house for three. She has now decided to stop missing those hosts and is up 5-2 after five.

In six, a Jones freeze comes up short, letting Smith draw to the button for two. 5-4. This is a better match than I had hoped it would be especially after the fifth end.

Canada blanks seven; meanwhile BC, trying to hang on to a playoff possibility, pulls back into a tie with New brunswick. Eight is blanked too.

In nine we get a conga line of rocks from both teams after a bunch of freezes; it is fun to watch Jill Office bust up such conga lines, as she did here. She leaves a couple in play but the battlefield is cleaner. Amusingly, on skip rocks, Jones invites her coach to the ice by saying "Time, or whatever", which I admit I find an amusing reference to the shifting rules from year to year; it also delighted me as it shows me a sense of humor in Jones, whom I always picture as a sort of corporate lawyer on the ice. Smith's last rock misses an angle freeze, leaving Jones an open hit for four; and she makes it. 9-4. And handshakes.

Both teams remain in the running for the playoffs (or tiebreakers).

TSN switch to the BC match against New Brunswick, in the tenth end at 4-4, and New Brunswick with the hammer. We appear to be on second third rocks (I always love writing that). Heading to skip rocks we have two BC rocks side by side in the front of the button, with a NB rock just behind on the T-line. Scott puts up a center line guard. Kelly clears the guard in a Plan B. Scott makes a shot I do not get, leaving Kelly an open hit for one and the win. Kelly misses enough to allow BC to win and maintain the hope of a playoff or tiebreaker spot.

I note that the arrival of the coaches on the ice is wonderfully described by Linda Moore as an 'intervention'. I love the implications.