MacDonald and his rink from the Charlottetown Curling Complex and host Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club scored a single point with last-rock advantage in the 10th end to edge Quebec’s Robert MacLean 5-4. Both teams went into the game at 4-2 (won-lost), and the win left P.E.I. in a four-way tie for second place following Wednesday’s play.
“Every win is important right now,” said MacDonald. “We had two losses and we figure three is probably the limit you need to guarantee a playoff spot.
“It was nice to win that one for sure. We have to beat the teams who are below us or at least even with us, and Quebec is a good team.”
It was P.E.I.’s lone game of the day. Thursday, MacDonald, third stone John Likely, second stone Mark O’Rourke and lead Peter MacDonald play the Northwest Territories’ Glen Hudy at 8 a.m., and Nova Scotia’s Alan O’Leary at 4 p.m.
“It’s going to be a big day,” said MacDonald.
All alone in first
New Brunswick’s Wayne Tallon from the Capital Winter Club took over sole possession of first place in the afternoon draw.
Tallon trimmed the Northwest Territories’ Glen Hudy 9-3 to improve to 6-1 while Alberta’s Wade White handed Ontario’s Howard Rajala his second loss with an 8-6 decision.
O’Leary outlasted Newfoundland and Labrador’s Glenn Goss 10-8 to move into the logjam for second place with P.E.I., Ontario and Alberta. All four teams are 5-2.
Clean game
“There were not a lot of rocks in play over the whole game. We made the right shots at the right time.” - P.E.I. men's skip Rod MacDonald
MacDonald described P.E.I.’s match against Quebec as a “clean game.” He added: “There were not a lot of rocks in play over the whole game. We made the right shots at the right time.”
The teams went into the decisive 10th end tied 4-4, but P.E.I. held last-rock advantage.
In MacLean’s first shot, his draw attempt was heavy and went to the back of the house, half on the eight-foot and half on the 12-foot. MacDonald countered by drawing half button and four-foot to lie shot rock. MacLean then wrecked on a guard out front on his final shot, resulting in MacDonald not having to throw his final stone.
“If the Quebec skip had made his first one it may have made it a little tough on us,” admitted MacDonald. “He was a little heavy and went to the back of the house, and allowed me to come top-four with mine. He had a tough shot, rubbed the front.”
When asked about his first shot in the 10the end, MacDonald said he did not want to be heavy.
“I wanted to make sure I was at least full eight or top-four to give me something on my last one,” explained MacDonald. “I kind of thought he might come around the other way and bury one top-four, and it would have made it a tough shot for me.
“Anyways, I didn’t have to throw the last one, and those are always nice.”
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