SUMMERSIDE – The Glenn Howard rink has clinched first place in the men’s Pool A at the 2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar.
Howard, who improved to 5-0 (won-lost), pulled out a last-shot victory to edge Seven Mile Bay native Adam Casey and his Regina-based rink 7-6 in Friday’s 8 a.m. draw.
The top three teams in each pool advance to the playoffs, which begin Saturday afternoon. The first- and second-place teams receive double life.
Casey dropped to 2-3, and is one of four teams in Pool A with three losses. John Morris, who plays Howard in Friday’s 8 p.m. draw, is second at 3-2.
Also on Friday at 8 p.m., Casey will close out the round robin against Jason Gunnlaugson (2-3).
In other men’s action Friday morning, Morris doubled Gunnlaugson 8-4, and Halifax’s Jamie Murphy completed the round robin at 3-3 after a 6-5 extra-end win over Colton Flasch (2-3).
On the women’s side, Kerri Einarson scored a single point with hammer in the extra end for a 9-8 win over Sherry Middaugh.
The win gives Einarson (4-1) sole possession of first place in the women’s Pool B. Middaugh, Briane Meilleur and Krista McCarville, who outlasted Jacqueline Harrison (2-3) by an 8-6 count, are tied for second with identical 3-2 records.
The Road to the Roar is the final qualifying event for the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, which will decide Canada’s men’s and women’s four-person curling teams for the 2018 Winter Olympics in February. Two men’s and two women’s team will advance from this week’s event.
Draws are also scheduled for noon and 4 p.m. on Friday.
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