Image from Canadian Press

By Canadian Press

Gushue’s Wild Card One team beats Alberta’s Kevin Koe in extra end to win the Brier

Mar 13, 2022 | 9:51 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB — Brad Gushue’s short-handed Wild Card One team defeated Alberta’s Kevin Koe 9-8 on Sunday night to win the Tim Hortons Brier.

Gushue made a hit for a single point in the extra end to win the national men’s curling championship for the fourth time in six years.

The St. John’s-based team had to play the final weekend without vice Mark Nichols, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. Gushue, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker carried on as a threesome and curled their best when it counted the most.

After a loss in the Page playoff seeding round, they reeled off three straight must-wins – including a 9-3 semifinal victory over Canada’s Brendan Bottcher earlier in the day – before topping Alberta to raise the tankard.

The title came just a few weeks after they won bronze at the Beijing Olympics.

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Both teams struggled somewhat at the outset as they tried to figure out the ice at the Enmax Centre. It was unseasonably warm in Lethbridge on Sunday and the 5,900-seat venue was a near-sellout, which may have had an impact on the sheet.

Gallant flashed a stone in the second end that led to a Koe deuce. Alberta vice B.J. Neufeld rubbed guards twice in the third end and Gushue drew for three after a Koe runback missed wide.

A Koe tap for two gave Alberta a 4-3 lead into the fifth-end break.

Gushue picked up his second three-ender of the game in the sixth. Koe cleared one stone on a triple-takeout attempt and Gushue drew the four-foot to regain the lead.

Koe made a hit for two to tie the game in the seventh after Gushue failed to bury a hit-and-roll attempt. Gushue was forced to a single in the eighth and stole a point in the ninth when Koe’s draw was light.

In the 10th end, Gushue made a raise-double that left Koe a hit for two and the tie.

Koe was unable to build for a steal in the extra end. One Alberta stone was on the 12-foot ring and Koe drew his final stone to the four-foot before Gushue cleared it and stuck for the victory.

Gushue’s fourth career Brier title as a skip tied him with Koe, Kevin Martin, Randy Ferbey and Ernie Richardson for top spot on the all-time list.

It’s the first time that a wild-card entry has won the Brier.

Curling Canada first added a play-in game in 2018 with the winner called Team Wild Card. The federation went with three wild-card entries last year due to the pandemic and stuck with the format this season.

Gushue’s team earned $108,000 for the victory and will represent Canada at the April 2-10 world men’s curling championship in Las Vegas.

Koe, from Calgary, and his team of Neufeld, John Morris and Ben Hebert earned $60,000 for silver. Bottcher’s rink claimed $40,000.

Kerri Einarson won her third straight Scotties Tournament of Hearts title last month. She’ll wear the Maple Leaf at the March 19-27 women’s world curling championship in Prince George, B.C.

Gushue will return as Team Canada at the 2023 Brier at the Budweiser Gardens in London, Ont.