WINNIPEG’S MCEWEN WINS WILDCARD, PUNCHES TICKET TO BRIER

Curling.ca

REGINA – Mike McEwen beat Jason Gunnlaugson 4-3 in 11 ends in the Tim Hortons Brier wild-card game Friday night to earn a spot in the main competition of the Canadian men’s curling championship,

The wild-card game, which features the two highest-ranked teams in Canada that didn’t already have a spot at the Brier, made its debut in Regina.

With the victory, McEwen claimed the fourth seed in the Brier and will compete in Pool A, opening Saturday against 12th-seed Thomas Scoffin of Yukon when the Brier’s main 16-team competition begins.

The wild-card game gave the two Winnipeg skips a second chance after Reid Carruthers won the Manitoba playdowns to advance to the national championship.

McEwen, who came back to play in the Manitoba championship after being hospitalized with chicken pox, lost 7-6 to Carruthers in the provincial final.

(Canadian Press)