Draw 17, The Final Episode? Last half

Final Episode? Well, for the round robin. Also for me, but only in a sense. I won't be back at The Brier this year, but as expected, I've really enjoyed my time here and especially enjoyed re-connecting with Alan again, as usual. Watch for us at The Ford Worlds in Regina next month!

End 6. Jacobs had a possible double for three, but got only one. Meanwhile Gushue must hit and stick too score one against split rocks from Quebec. And AB-ON blank the 6th end.

End 7. What an amazing tap out by Hebert, drawing around a guard and avoiding a jam at the back of the rings. Nevertheless, a few rocks later, there are few rocks in the rings and Kennedy misses a double (rare miss for him; he has been truly amazing). Impressive and difficult double by Howard, but once again AB will blank the end as a result. And SK scores only one? I thought it was two on a simple nose hit by Simmons. NO5, SK3. AB 4, ON3. And QC scores one more. NL 7, QC 5.

End 8. Neato double by Morris followed by a Hart double leaves the rings pretty open for another blank. And the nobs in the corner got all excited by Martin's takeout that drove an ON rock up over the rubber in the hack. They'd probably cheer for full-body contact, too. Unfortunately for AB, Martin's shooter stuck around: AB 5, ON 3.

And a draw to the button by Jacob against 3 to score one and lead 6-3. And, Gushue draws to the button against one to lead QC 8-5.

WHAT??? PEI was fined $2000 for quitting early??? Give me a buckin' freak.

End 9. Martin almost pulled off a great double, but ON still has a biter as Howard throws his first rock, trying to freeze to the AB rock on the button, but he bounces a bit. Martin hits and loses his shooter so Howard hits and sticks on the remaining AB rock to tie the game at 5. AB has the hammer going home.

SK blanks the 9th and has the hammer going home, down 3; and Quebec scored two, so NL is up one with the hammer going into the 10th end.

End 10. It looked to me as if Martin sorta missed both his shots in the 9th end to let ON back into the game. But AB has the hammer and the advantage going home. Meanwhile on Sheet B, NO is about to run SK out of rocks. But there's still a jumble of rocks and a centre guard on Sheet C between Quebec and NL.

AB peels the centre guard, but Hart puts one back, right up tight to the rings. Guard, peel, etc. for about 4 rocks each. Then Martin runs the guard back to double off the ON shot rock but leaves his shooter as a centre-line guard. Howard hits, but rolls out the other side of the guard. Martin must hit and keep his shooter in the 8' to win. He does.

Gonna go join the media scrum. More tomorrow.