Draw 10, Tuesday Afternoon, Middle Ends

After three ends, SK is curling 89% and BC is curling 86%. Very impressive shot-making.

End #4:

Semi-standard opening with a BC rock top 4', SK corner guard, then SK freezes to the BC rock in the rings, after BC put up a tight centre guard. Fascinating variation.

Meanwhile on Sheet C, Quebec is giving Martin a hard time up 2-1 and in good position.

Back on Sheet D, BC has three rocks in the rings plus a centre guard; SK has third-shot. BC has the advantage so far. Laycock missed a takeout and removed his own rock. KM draws to the button.

On Sheet B, finally someone scores as ON steals one in the fourth end. And with a big mess of rocks, AB scores only one against QC.

With his second shot, Laycock doubles off two of the BC stones. Cotter hits and sticks to lie 4. Simmons hits one out, but slides back to be only third shot. BC draws to the top 8', and SK will have a struggle to score even one. It looks as if they will attempt a gentle hit and roll, hoping to keep the shooter from rolling too far but wanting it to roll to become shot rock. Tough shot for Simmons. He makes it to score 1.

SK 2, BC 1

Interesting that with all the blanks, the TSN game is ahead of the one I'm following!

End #5:

Standard opening, version 2. SK centre guard, draw around the guard by BC. SK freeze to BC rock, BC freeze to that one. Run-back by Jones to remove a BC rock.

Unfortunately the action is at the far end of the sheet, and even though I've moved so I can see it better, it is still hard to make out what is happening for sure. As we go to 3rds stones, it looks as if BC has two rocks in the top 4', and SK has one there. Laycock hits and sticks, removing one and moving the other out to the back 4'. KM removes one SK rock, moves another, and leaves the shooter top 8'. Laycock removes one BC rock but loses his shooter. Laycock is curling in the 60s, while everyone else is in the 80s and 90s.

Cotter splits the rings, leaving rocks on both sides while SK has 3rd shot at the top of the 12'. Simmons first shot is a hit and roll to the button, but it is mostly exposed.

Cotter manages a near double, removing one SK rock and pushing the other out to 3rd shot. But he is left as shot rock in the 12' and cannot be removed, but it is only 2nd shot. Simmons splits the rings, forcing Cotter to draw for one.

SK 2, BC 2

Meanwhile Ontario stole two more from NF and leads 3-0 after 5 ends.

End #6:

A very close game with high curling percentages for both teams and tie score going into the second half of the draw. No one is curling less than 73%, and the two leads are in the high 90s.

Centre guard by BC, corner guard from SK, followed by lots of hits and sticks in the middle until BC hit and rolled out. [meanwhile, another blank between ON and NF] Draw by Laycock is behind the centre guard but back 8'. KM follows that path but stops on the button. Laycock hit and rolled, not quite under cover. SK was lying two after that shot, but Cotter removed one and rolled over on top of the other. Simmons freezes to that rock, essentially conceding that SK hopes to score only one this end. Cotter freezes to that as expected, but that leaves only a draw to the button for Simmons. It overcurls, giving BC a steal of one.

SK 2, BC 3

I doubt if I'm the first to say this, but it does Laing (ON) look a bit like the lab guy on the tv show, Bones?

End #7:

Numerous not-quite-perfect shots led to a fairly open end by the time we get to thirds' rocks. [Meanwhile, Que scored two in the 6th to tie AB and finally NL scored one in the 7th to trail ON 3-1]. BC left a SK rock in the rings, giving SK an open draw for 2, but Simmons was heavy and went through the rings. Groan.

SK 3, BC 3