Curling is a game of hits and misses and nowhere was that more evident than the first match between Matt Dunstone and Brad Gushue at the Home Hardware Canada Cup at Affinity Place.
Playing with the hammer, Dunstone’s attempt to knock out a lone Gushue stone in the ninth end to blank it and carry a 5-4 score into the 10th end sailed through to the gasps of the students and adults Wednesday morning. Gushue stole one in each of the ninth and tenth ends to win the match.
“The win feels great it was a tough game,” said Gushue. “I felt like Matt’s team played well and I thought our team played very well… it was a tight game. It was a grind for sure.”
Dunstone played well in the early ends, going shot for shot with the former Olympic champion.
“I think we can expect five or six games like that the rest of the week,” Gushue said. “The teams were really good here and the ice was really nice today. You can make a lot of shots.”
The teams weren’t able to practice on the ice Tuesday but got a bit of extra time in the morning to get some time on it, which helped.
“But we’re pretty spoiled with the ice makers at each event we go to,” he said. “Usually it’s five or six feet of curl and 24 or 25 seconds. You can pick up on it pretty quick.”
It was a disappointing beginning for Dunstone, who was able to get a lot of the crowd on his side early. He’ll have until the evening draw to recover from the miss in the ninth end. He tried with a lot of rocks in play in the 10th but couldn’t get a complicated multiple take out on his last stone, allowing Gushue to steal one at the end.
“The five rock rule has a lot to do with that and there’s been lots of games this year where teams have taken three in the eighth or the tenth to win that game,” said Dunstone. “The five rock rule gives you the confidence to make it in that last end. But you’ve got no choice but to shake it.”
Still, Dunstone had a great match for his first Canada Cup match.
“It’s going to be fun when we get our first victory, what that’s going to sound like,” Dunstone said.
In the day’s other matches, Brad Jacobs defeated Kevin Koe 9-5, Darcy Robertson defeated Chelsea Carey 11-6, Laura Walker defeated Allison Flaxey 6-5, and John Epping defeated Brendan Bottcher 7-5.
The afternoon draw starts at 2 p.m. and will have Jacobs battling Gushue, Epping against defending champion Reid Carruthers, Walker battling Casey Schiedegger, Kerri Einarson against Rachel Homan and Jennifer Jones against Chelsea Carey.
