#BetweenTheSheets: It's Playdown Party Time!
Time to fill in the names of Scotties and Brier representatives
As the World Curling Tour season starts to come to a close, we turn around and welcome the high-pressured drama of Playdown Season. With the Scotties only a mere few weeks away, provincial/territorial championships have either concluded or are underway as we move closer to filling in the names on the competition lines.
This is the action-packed week where we have 5 provincial women's championships to keep our eyes on. Not to mention 2 provincial men's championships. Which, as an aside, do we like the joint hosting of men's and women's provincials? It sure seems to make things easier from a logistical point of view, especially for a few of the smaller provinces like New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. It could never be done for say Manitoba or Alberta but Ontario is doing it now so maybe it is not such a stretch. Things that make you go hmmm?!?
Anyway, back to the real topic at hand: Welcome to Provincial Playdown Party Time!!
The 2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts field is almost half-way complete. This past week another team collected their coveted purple hearts to join the field in Sydney, Nova Scotia when Quebec crowned their champion. And, similar to the thought above, they jointly hosted the men's and women's provincial championships meaning we add another name to the list of Brier participants in Brandon, MB.
Here are the fields thus far:
#STOH2019
QC - We have a new team representing "la belle province". Congratulations to Gabrielle Lavoie and her combined team from Sainte-Foy/Sillery/Saint-Romuaid! Team Lavoie finished first in the RR with a 5-3 record, earning a bye to the championship final where they would defeat Team Gagne to claim their first title. Lavoie will compete in Pool B in Sydney alongside reps from Northern Ontario, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, PEI, Nunavut, Team Canada and Team Wildcard.
Also already punching their ticket to Syndey are:
Canada - Team Jennifer Jones
Newfoundland and Labrador - Team Kelli Sharpe
PEI - Team Suzanne Birt
NWT - Team Kerry Galusha
Yukon - Team Nicole Baldwin
Nunavut - Team Jennifer Blaney
#Brier2019
QC - Guess who's back? Back again? Crete is back. Tell your friends. Martin Crete will make his return to the Brier ice for an 8th time after losing the provincial final last year (as Team Menard vs. Team Fournier). With former skip Jean-Michel Menard retiring from competitive curling at the end of last season, Crete went out and formed his own team. BOOM...provincial champions once again! Crete went 5-1 in the preliminary RR and 2-1 in the championship round to finish 3rd overall at 7-2 and reach the playoffs. The team knocked off Team Homan in the 3vs4 playoff game, Team Roy in the SF and extracted revenge against Team Fournier in the final with an amazing extra end shot FTW. This will be Crete's 6th Brier appearance in the past 7 years but his first ever Brier as a skip. Team Crete will compete in Pool B in Brandon against reps from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northern Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut (#PoolOfDeath!!).
Joining Team Crete thus far will be:
Canada - Team Brad Gushue
PEI - Team John Likely
Nunavut - Team Dave St. Louis
Let the Playdown Party continue folks. No time to waste with fluff content, lets slide right into those provincial playdown previews and predictions.
#STOH2019
Alberta
2018 Champion: Team Casey Scheidegger
Format: 12 team triple knockout with 4 qualifiers to the page playoff bracket
#Fav
The defending champs have to open up as early favourites to #DefendTheIce this week in Stettler. The team is coming off a QF appearance at the Canadian Open, under a similar triple knockout format, after a less than stellar result at the Tour Challenge and National. Scheidegger does have a #wct title to her credit this season (HDF Shoot-Out in Edmonton) and also reached the SF at The Masters. It has been a bit of an up and down season of results though for the Alberta champs, looking to make their sophomore Scotties appearance. The field in Stettler will be tough and having the taget on your back will be new for this team. However, the triple knockout format seems to be a favourite for them (Hello Canadian Open champs remember).
#TeamUpset
Outside the Big 4, the other 8 teams may just be considered #TeamUpset contenders this week. Many people are already tabbing the top seeds as having the best shot at advancing to the page playoff. But remember, Carey has struggled at times on tour this season. Rocque has an unfortunate history of underperforming at the Alberta Scotties. The door is open for these other 8 teams.
I would keep close eyes on Team Marthaller and Team Kaufman. Marthaller has qualified in 3 of their 5 events this season, including a runner-up finish in Medicine Hat. Kaufman has gone one better and collected a tour title this season in Edmonton and has qualified in 2 of their 3 tour events. Both have a history of making deep runs at past provincial playdowns as well. Marthaller may have been handed the better opportunistic draw though with Adele Kezama in the opening round and, if she wins, an A-SF match with Kelsey Rocque.
What 2 Watch 4 (#W2W4)
This is going to be a fun provincial playdown to watch unfold. Gone is previous champ and last year finalist Shannon Kleibrink. We welcome back Kelsey Rocque and her new team. Laura Walker is also in the mix with an experienced squad in front of her. Honestly any of the top 4 seeds (Scheidegger, Carey, Walker, Rocque) could make a run here. Scheidegger and Carey also have the possible Team Wildcard second-chance opportunity looming in their favour...but neither wants to sit around and hope for the back door invite, especially Carey after losing the wildcard game last year.
They say don't read too much into early games as teams can falter early and then find their footing for a deep playoff run later in the event. However, last year the 4 teams who qualified for the playoffs happened to be the 4 teams who advanced to the A-SF games. Only one team will emerge from the A-bracket but history shows winning those one or two games early sure does open up the draw for you down the road towards the playoffs.
Qualifiers: Team Carey, Team Scheidegger, Team Walker, Team Marthaller
Alberta Championship: Team Scheidegger def. Team Walker
Manitoba
2018 Champion: Team Jennifer Jones
Format: 16-team RR with 2 pools of 8. Top 2 in each pool advance to page playoff bracket with pool winners earning the double life.
#Fav
Outside of the #gsoc results, it would be tough to argue against any team in the world playing better curling this season than Team Einarson. The newly formed #TeamSkipper have won 4 #wct events this season, working their way not only into the slam picture but up the world rankings. For most of the season they were the #TwineTime blog #1 ranked team. Of course Team Hasselborg's Euro's and slam wins coupled with the huge run Team Homan is on right now derailed them from the top spot but they have been a consistent Top 5 team all season. Now it is time to prove it when it matters most! This new team came together for the exact reason of winning the Scotties. They have been light's out the best team on tour some weeks (winning titles) but then go through slumps in others (missing playoffs at The Masters and Canadian Open). However if they find their game, the same one that won them those titles and got them into the Canada Cup and National finals, they are going to be very tough to stop. Einarson reached the Scotties final last season as Team Wildcard and is clearly in the pole position for the WC invite again this season. But she sure would like to go into Sydney with the Buffalo on her back instead and be considered an early favourite for the title once again.
#TeamUpset
This blog has called them a #TeamUpset contender all season so why change the story now. Team Clark-Rouire could be the surprise team in the field and make a push for a playoff spot after the RR. This team has qualified in 7 of 8 events this season. They have a championship win at the MCT Classic, a runner-up finish at DEKALB and a SF showing in Morris. Last year they were placed in a Pool of Death drawing Einarson and Robertson and underperformed with a 3-4 record. This season they draw Robertson once again, along with a very strong Team Fleury. The advantage is the schedule as they do not draw either team until later in the RR, meaning if they can get out to a strong start early (perhaps even go undefeated in their first 4 games) they will have the momentum and confidence needed to upset the pool favourites.
#W2W4
This is a very strong field, no way around it. Team Einarson has been beasts on tour this season. Team Robertson has lost the provincial final each of the past two seasons and has consistently been one of the strongest teams on tour. Tracy Fleury has been to three Scotties, including last year where she finished 4th and is joined by former Team Einarson members who reached the Scotties final. And do not forget Team Flaxey, joined by former Scotties Team Canada reps Kate Cameron and Raunora Westcott. Similar to Alberta, the Top 4 here are going to be early favourites for the playoffs.
But don't undersell a few of the competitors either. While the top teams have been playing slams and larger events across Canada, most of their competition have focused their tour schedule on events within Manitoba. They are all VERY familiar with one another while the other 4 may not be as much this season. Teams Clark-Rouire, Peterson (who recently won the MCT Championship), Spencer and Brown all have #wct wins in Manitoba this season. Interestingly enough Peterson, Spencer and Brown all find themselves in the same pool, alongside Einarson and Flaxey. Can you say Pool of Death?
Don't forget, Team Einarson and Team Fleury are both in the Team WC discussion as well (but more on that below). And right after this event Team Robertson will jet over to Sweden and represent Team Canada in the final leg of the Curling World Cup.
Qualifiers: Team Einarson, Team Robertson, Team Fleury, Team Peterson
Manitoba Championship: Team Einarson def. Team Fleury
New Brunswick
2018 Champion: Team Sylvie Robichaud
Format: 6-team RR with 3 qualifiers. 1st place earning a bye to the championship final.
#Fav
Pretty tough to bet against defending champion and 4-time NB Scotties winner Sylvie Robichaud. She has won the NB title three of the past four years and once again looks to be the early favourite in the field. She has qualified in 4 of 5 events this season, including a #wct title at the Spitfire Arms Curling Classic in Windsor, NS and another championship final appearance at the Steele Cup Cash in Fredericton, NB. Plus this year's NB Scotties takes place at her home club so she will literally have home ice advantage.
#TeamUpset
Welcome back Andrea Crawford! Crawford is a 6-time NB Scotties winner, with her last being in 2014. She moved to Germany, curled a bit across the pond with former world champ Andrea Schoepp and has now returned to her roots. Since her return this season she has qualified in 3 of 4 tour events, including three championship appearances and a #wct title at the Steele Cup Cash (defeating rival Robichaud). Ok maybe calling Crawford a #TeamUpset contender is a bit unfair given her resume but she has been away from the game for awhile and has not competed in a provincial championship for a few years. Competing on tour is quite different from the pressure of playing for your provincial jacket and a ticket to the Scotties, regardless of your resume and past experiences. Can Crawford officially mark her return to the sport with a 7th provincial title?
#W2W4
Robichaud vs. Crawford. This is the match-up we are all wanting to see in Moncton. Arguably the two most successful skips to come out of New Brunswick since Heidi Hanlon moved to the senior's game. They have played one another 4 times this season with Crawford holding the 3-1 advantage, including that aforementioned championship final.
But who nabs the final playoff spot if the big names draw the top spots? Sarah Mallais, Samantha Crook and Marin McLeod might not attract the same attention as Robichaud and Crawford this week which could be the perfect advantage to fly under the radar, land a playoff spot and pull the ultimate shocker of the playdown season. One would think it will only take 2 RR wins to land the final playoff spot...but heck we might even see the three-way tie for the final spot with identical 1-3 records and all beating one another once. Interesting to say the least....
Qualifiers: Team Crawford, Team Robichaud, Team Mallais
New Brunswick Championship: Team Crawford def. Team Robichaud
Nova Scotia
2018 Champion: Team Mary-Anne Arsenault
Format: 8-team RR with 3 qualifiers. 1st place earning a bye to the championship final.
#Fav
Defending champions receive the honours as early favourites. Team Arsenault returns to #DefendTheIce, with a slight change in line-up adding former two-time Canadian and World junior champ (2016, 2018) Kristin Clarke at lead. One would have to think adding the calibre of Clarke to the team will only make them an even bigger threat and contender. Remember Arsenault was the show-stopper at the Scotties last year, riding an incredible RR record through the Championship Pool and into the playoffs, ultimately finishing with a bronze medal performance. Oh and of course we cannot forget Arsenault is a five-time Scotties winner and two-time world champion. On tour this season the team has qualified in 4 of 8 events, including a championship win at the New Scotland Clothing Ladies Cashspiel and another championship appearance at the Lady Monctonian. They did compete at the Tour Challenge Tier II but unfortunately went 0-4. Expect another playoff run here though for the defending champs.
#TeamUpset
The dangerous floater in the field who could surprise everyone and make a deep playoff run may just be Julie McEvoy and her team from Halifax. McEvoy has put together a modest season on tour, posting an overall record of 15-11 and qualifying in 2 of 5 events. She does have a SF appearance at the Spitfire Arms Cashspiel to counter those three events where the team failed to qualify. Ok so looking at those numbers you may wonder what warrants the #TeamUpset tag? Well how about this stat, she is 7-3 against her NS Scotties competitors this year. Sure she has 11 losses but only 4 have been against Nova Scotia teams, with one coming against non-qualifying Team LeGray in the Scotties qualifier. Her only other losses have been to Jones (twice) and Brothers. Her record includes a 3-0 record against 2018 NS Scotties runner-up Team MacDiarmid.
Last season McEvoy finished one game out of a TB spot here, losing her final RR game vs. Team Breen, thus sending Breen into the TB against Brothers and booking her ticket home. In 2017, she lost the TB to Breen. This season could she finally get her revenge on the provincial rival who has eliminated her two years in a row? The overall numbers may not impress right away but the confidence of owning a strong winning record against most of your competition gives you the slight mental edge before stepping on the ice. Be weary of this team.
#W2W4
This may be, from top to bottom, the most competitive and wide-open provincial championship in the country. Yes we have previous provincial champion names like Arsenault, Jones and Brothers but we also have very competitive and strong teams led by Breen, MacDiarmid, McEvoy, Hilliard and Myketyn-Driscoll. Honestly I could see any of these 8 teams qualify for the playoffs and win the NS Scotties and not be terribly surprised by the result. In fact 6 of these teams were here competing last year as well and it was a one game difference from finishing 3rd in the RR to finishing 7th.
I don't think Nova Scotia curling has ever been this competitive with a field of equally strong teams having a legit shot at the title. While the focus all week may be on the bigger provinces or "bigger" names competing, curling eyes should be strongly focused on the results in Dartmouth. This is going to be fun!!
Qualifiers: Team Arsenault, Team Brothers, Team MacDiarmid
Nova Scotia Championship: Team Arsenault def. Team Brothers
Saskatchewan
2018 Champion: Team Sherry Anderson
Format: 9-team RR with 4 qualifiers into the page playoff bracket.
#Fav
Last year I predicted Team Silvernagle would emerge with the SK Scotties title and they came up short, losing the final in an extra end to Team Anderson. And that was when they didn't have Stef Lawton on the team. This year, with Lawton joining forces with formal Sask rival Silvernagle, this team should be the favourites to take home the title. This team has put in the work this season, playing 9 tour events and owning a very favourable record of 36-16. They have qualified in 7 events, collected 3 titles and reached the QF at the Canadian Open. Need more reasons to be impressed? In the month of November the team compiled an overall record of 24-4, including back-to-back titles in Saskatoon and Red Deer. They also have a positive 5-3 record against the field here. The momentum coming from the Canadian Open is going to work in their favour and make them very tough to beat. Plus the added experience of 4-time Scotties rep Lawton at vice is huge.
#TeamUpset
Could the future be now? If so, watch out for Kristen Streifel! Streifel is back in her home province after rounding our her time in Alberta competing on the junior stage at the University of Alberta. And what a junior career she had, winning the national title and collecting a world bronze (2017). With junior days now behind her she has made the jump to the women's game and has added a vet to help provide some guidance, Jolene Campbell. Campbell is a former Scotties champion (with Amber Holland, 2011) and won world silver the same year. She has represented #TeamGreen at 4 Scotties and after the tough provincial finals loss last year (as vice for Team Silvernagle) would love to help guide Streifel to her first Scotties. The team has competed in 5 tour events this season, qualifying each time including reaching the SF at the Tour Challenge Tier II #gsoc event. The only hiccup on them this season is finishing what they start. In 3 of those 5 events they reached the SF but came up short. Can they string together the full package of wins to surprise the field and take the title?
#W2W4
This is a very experienced field. You have Silvernagle/Lawton. Campbell with Streifel. Defending champ Sherry Anderson returns, albeit with a new team in front of her. She is joined by Nancy Martin at vice, who is fresh off winning a mixed doubles title last weekend in Ontario (with B.C.'s Tyrel Griffith). You also have former Canadian champ Amber Holland back, looking to improve on her 2-6 finish last year. 2017 champ Penny Barker returns looking to recapture the title after falling in the playoffs last year.
And do not count out Ashley Howard, being coached by father Russ this week. Team Howard has put together a strong season on tour and could be a dark horse contender this week. Chantelle Eberle will have revenge on her mind after posting a 6-2 RR record last year but losing both playoff games to finish 3rd overall. There is a legit 5 or 6 teams who have a strong case to tabbed a contender in this field. This should be a fun provincial playdown to watch unfold.
Qualifiers: Team Silvernage, Team Streifel, Team Anderson, Team Howard
Saskatchewan Championship: Team Silvernagle def. Team Streifel
Team Wildcard
Format: Top two teams based on CTRS ranking advance to wildcard play-in game held Friday before the Scotties (February 15).
Teams In Contention: Team Homan, Team Einarson, Team Carey, Team Scheidegger, Team Fleury
#W2W4
Pay close attention to the action in Stettler and Gimli this weekend. With Carey and Scheidegger competing for the Alberta Scotties title and Einarson/Fleury going for the #BuffaloHunt, the teams who do not win the provincial title could just sneak in the back door. Homan is already guaranteed a second chance, should she come up short at the Ontario Scotties next week, which could spell disaster for Carey/Scheidegger for the one (or both) who fail to emerge out of Alberta.
What is interesting is we could, in theory, see the same two skips play in the wildcard game as last year with Einarson vs. Carey should both falter in their respected provincial playdowns this weekend and Homan emerge victorious in Ontario. Right now, if you are Scheidegger or Fleury you have to hope, should you not be able to win this weekend, the competition ahead of you (namely Einarson and Carey) do to keep your Scotties dreams alive. Imagine, for a second, if both Homan and Einarson are upset in their provincial playdowns and are forced to play one another for the WC spot? Yowzers!! There is an entire underlying story behind the results this weekend we need to keep our peripheral vision on folks!
Team Wildcard (Early) Prediction: Team Fleury def. Team Carey
With the above provinces wrapping up their playdowns this weekend, we will ALMOST know the entire Scotties field by next week. The only outliers remaining will be B.C., Northern Ontario and Ontario. And of course once those three wrap up play we will know who our two teams will be competing for the final spot in the field as Team Wildcard.
#Brier2019
New Brunswick
2018 Champion: Team James Grattan
Format: 8-team RR with Top 3 advancing to playoffs. 1st place team receives a bye to the championship final.
#Fav
Jimmy The Kid is back to #DefendTheIce and seek his 13th Brier appearance. 13 folks!! Guess we can stop calling a 44-year old man "The Kid" right? Grattan dominated New Brunswick curling from 2006 - 2014, winning 6 provincial titles in that timeframe. But until his win last year he had gone three consecutive seasons of provincial losses and it looked like perhaps the tides were shifting out East. Grattan regrouped last year and reclaimed the title (battling through a TB just to reach the playoffs) and finished a disappointing 11th at the Brier in Regina. This has been a solid season for the team from Oromocto, compiling a 13-8 record and reaching the SF in 3 of their 4 events played. They are also undefeated against New Brunswick teams this season, including a 3-0 record vs. teams in this field.
#TeamUpset:
Speaking on "The Kid" moniker, this may be the season where a few of the next generation stars in the province step up and challenge the big boys for the title. Rene Comeau and Ed Cyr will be skipping their own teams at this year's championship and will be looking to make a name for themselves. Last season these two competed together with Comeau throwing fourth stones and Cyr throwing third stones under Wayne Tallon as skip (who threw lead stones). They qualified for the Tankard but wound up losing a TB and finishing T4th. This season both men decided to go alone and make a run as skips for new teams.
Comeau, as you may recall, has represented the province at numerous Canadian Junior Curling Championships. This season he partnered back up with former junior lead Ryan Freeze, who now throws vice stones for his junior skipper. They only competed in one tour event this season but did reach the QF at the Jim Sullivan Curling Classic in December.
As for Cyr, he stuck with Alex Kyle (who threw second for Team Tallon last season) as his new lead and picked up Alex Robichaud and Chris Wagner. The team competed in 4 tour events, owns a 9-12 record and did reach one QF (Mayflower Cash Spiel).
#W2W4
Experience vs. NextGen. Who emerges in Moncton? The experience of Grattan, Scott Jones, Terry Odishaw/Mike Kennedy and Jason Vaughn/Jeremy Mallais vs. the upstart group of Comeau and Cyr. It will be fun to see if the NextGen group can knock off some of the experienced vets in the field and make a run to the playoffs. The experienced group is full of past provincial champions though who are not quite ready to turn over their right to the throne quite yet I would imagine. There are a legit 4 or 5 teams who are dangerous playoff contenders there though.
Qualifiers: Team Grattan, Team Vaughn, Team Odishaw
New Brunswick Championship: Team Grattan def. Team Vaughn
Nova Scotia
2018 Champion: Team Jamie Murphy
Format: 8-team RR with Top 3 advancing to playoffs. 1st place team receives a bye to the championship final.
#Fav
Pretty tough to bet against Jamie Murphy. The 5-time NS champion is looking for his 4th straight title this week. Murphy has represented Nova Scotia at the Brier 5 times in the past 7 years and has become the face of the province on the national curling scene. At last year's Brier Team Murphy became the dark horse crowd favourite when they advanced to the Championship Pool and finished 7th overall. This season the team sports a 23-9 record, have qualified in all 5 tour events entered and have collected 2 tour titles in Fredericton and Halifax. Even more impressive is owning a 5-1 record against the field with their only loss being to Kendal Thompson in the Jim Sullivan Curling Classic final (also their last event played prior to this week).
#TeamUpset
Speaking of Kendal Thompson, he might be the #TeamUpset contender to fly the flag right to a provincial championship this week. Earlier in the season Kendal watched his brother Stuart earn all the praise when Stuart was guiding his team to a strong opening half of the year but Kendal has quietly been putting together his own solid resume this season and might be the Thomspon with the most momentum coming into Dartmouth. He sits 25-7 on the year with two championship wins (Halifax, St. John). He is also 11-2 against this field.
#W2W4
This event is going to be a 4-team race between the Thompson brothers, defending champion Murphy and perennial Nova Scotia contender Chad Stevens (still searching for his first Tankard). These are the four strongest teams in the field and should quickly separate themselves from the pack after the first two days. All four teams have put together a solid season and all can claim themselves to be considered contenders.
Stuart Thompson and Stevens have lost provincial finals in the past. Murphy has won, of course, but also lost provincial finals as well. Kendal Thompson is looking for his breakout performance and this could be his best opportunity given his season track record. Expect a fight on the island folks as all four of these teams should make for a great battle down the stretch. And remember, (at least) one of them won't even make the playoffs.
Qualifiers: Team Murphy, Team K. Thompson, Team S. Thompson
Nova Scotia Championship: Team Murphy def. Team K. Thompson
With New Brunswick and Nova Scotia wrapping up their provincial championships this upcoming weekend, the 2019 Brier field will be almost 50% complete. We still have 9 more provincial/territorial champions to declare in February....plus don't forget to keep your eyes on those in contention for Team Wildcard consideration. We will focus more on that in the upcoming #Brier2019 playdown blog post next month.
Who are you cheering for in each province rock heads and stoners? Do you have any favourites? Any #TeamUpset flag bearers you would like to see compete on national championship ice? Show your support for your favourite teams in the comments section and/or on social media.
#StayTuned
Do not forget to keep your eyes fixed on Prince Albert, Saskatchewan this week folks. The Canadian Junior Curling Championships hit the ice this past weekend and we are well on our way to crowning the next #TeamCanada representatives for the upcoming World Junior Curling Championships, held in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. ICYMI check out the #TwineTime Preview. Remember to check out the Curling Canada website for live results and live streaming of select RR games all week.
The final two spots at the 2019 world championships will also be determined this week in Naseby, New Zealand at the World Qualification Event. The RR portion is wrapping up and we are heading towards the playoffs. We started with 8 men's and women's nations competing but only 3 will make playoffs with only 2 advancing to Denmark and Canada for their respected world championships. Check out the World Curling Federation website for live results and see how the #TwineTime blog did in predicting the outcome by reviewing the #WQE2019 Preview.
The men's #wct continues this upcoming weekend with action from sunny Arizona and the annual Golden Wrench. We are quickly closing in on the end of the #wct season as the men have only a few more events to secure valuable ranking points.
The women have concluded most #wct action for the 2018/19 season, with only the #gsoc events (Players' Championship, Champions Cup) remaining in April.
This is the exciting point of the season folks....are you ready? Lets hope the teams are!! While a select few will continue forward in hopes of Canadian and World championship aspirations, for most their seasons are about to come to an end. Oh the vicious cruelty of sport.....
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