#BetweenTheSheets: Beep, Beep! Your U-Haul is Here
Did anyone pack the truck on Moving Day?
I don't think anyone expected a 5-way tie atop either pool at the end of Tuesday, with each team sitting at 2 losses. Add in 2 other teams in the same pool sitting with 3 losses. 7 of the 8 teams in Pool B have legit shots at reaching the Champ Pool heading into Wednesday.
Pool B is a clusterf**k....and secretly we all love it!!
And in Pool A?
There is a fight for the final spot, as expected. But the top two are rolling along while hoping those teams in Pool B continue to devour and destroy one another.
Remember you carry your record over with you if you advance to the Championship Pool. Our Pool B winners could emerge with 3 losses while our top teams in Pool A could sit with 0 or 1 loss apiece.
A two-game cushion in a 4-game Champ Pool RR with Top 3 going to the playoffs, who do you think has the advantage there?
But lets not get too ahead of ourselves either. Our teams still have 2 full days of RR play to contend with. If you are thinking about the Champ Pool too soon, you might be watching the games come Friday rather than playing in them.
Time to update the Power Rankings based on Moving Day (or lack thereof). The previous ranking next to each team is based on their position on the mountain after Day 4. You can review those rankings HERE.
These Power Rankings are based on results through the conclusion of Draw 12 (Tuesday night).
#PowerRankings
1. #TeamCanada - Team Einarson (LR: 1): We saw the champs play only one game on Tuesday as Pool A had the afternoon draw. They started slow and found themselves trailing Nova Scotia 2-3 at the break. Then they woke up, outscored their opposition 6-0 in the next 4 ends and won 8-3 to stay undefeated. The slow start is more attributed to the team last playing a game Monday morning, more than 24 hours in between games. They picked up the W. They stole the final 5 points over 3 ends. And they stay atop the mountain. But the gap is closing. Step 1 accomplished. They have qualified for the Champ Pool. Now it is about not slipping up to stay on top. Up Next: YK, AB
2. #CurlON - Team Homan (2): The chase is on and here comes Homan in the fast lane. Similar to their Pool A rivals, Ontario played one game on Tuesday and dominated Northern Ontario, picking up a 10-3 win. They stole 3 points over the opening two ends and never looked back. They have clinched their Champ Pool spot and now want to keep piling up the Ws. The confidence is picking up. Their sights are set on the team above them. Enter Revenge Mode! Up Next: NWT, WC2
3. #Labelleprovince - Team St-Georges (3): So this may be debatable as Quebec went 1-1 on the day...but then again so did the majority of the Pool B contenders. They picked up the W over Nunavut in the morning, a game they were up 5-0 after 2 and held on for a 7-5 victory. They looked strong in the evening draw against Saskatchewan until that dreaded ninth end. Oh #9. Seems to be a killer for so many teams this year, right? A rookie call costs the team a steal of 3 and they took the loss 9-6. So what happens next? Well they are still sitting atop Pool B with a 4-2 record. But will letting this game slip away haunt them in their next game? They can still finish atop this pool but need to regroup. Up Next: NL
4. #WC1 - Team Fleuray (4): Many might say WC1 should leapfrog Quebec but remember WC1 also went 1-1 on Tuesday. Quebec holds the H2H advantage so, for right now at least, they remain just behind #Labelleprovince, even if by only a sliver of a rock. It was a grind of a day for Team Fleuray. The 5th end vs. BC in the morning, giving up the steal of 3, did them in. And at night, they took an early lead and then had to fight off a charging PEI in the second half of the game. They are still one of the top teams in the competition, stats wise, and should still reach the Champ Pool. But if they want to reach the playoffs, they cannot really afford another loss. And it doesn't get any easier. Up Next: SK
5. #TeamPacific - Team Brown (10): #TeamPacific really took to the #MovingDay theme on Tuesday. They are the big climbers on the mountain, moving up 5 spots after picking up back-to-back wins on the day and padding their winning streak now to 3. I don't know what this team did on Monday night but whatever it was they re-energized and re-focused themselves and now they are looking like the Dark Horse contenders we all expected them to be. With a 3-2 record, and a game in hand compared to their Pool B counterparts right above them on the mountain, they are the most dangerous team in Pool B. They are curling with confidence and the numbers are backing it up. I would not want to be playing them right now. Of course they also happen to draw the other team on a roll next. Up Next: NB
6. #ABStrong - Team Walker (7): The monkey is off the back of Laura Walker. And as she said over the weekend, "Guess who's back?" Now time to keep the positive momentum going. There will be no repeat performance of last year, going 3-0 and then 0-4 to be eliminated. Sure you took 2 tough losses in a row. Sure you started a bit slow today vs. NWT. But they did something at the fifth end break and turned things around in the second half to dominate their way to the W. Now you are 4-2 and in a good position to reach the Championship Pool. Of course you cannot get too excited. They only play one game on Wednesday, an evening clash with the defending champs. But the monkey is gone. Up Next: CAN
7. #BuffaloHunt - Team Jones (8): #HERstory! What else can we say about Team Jones today? Jennifer Jones enters the record book with her 153rd Scotties win after surviving a #TeamUpset bid vs. NL Tuesday morning. Now be worried opposition. I think getting the historic stat out of the way will be a blessing. It was a mild distraction with everyone talking about it and asking her about it. It is done. She has the record. Lets move on. One less distraction. Team Jones has not hit their stride yet either, not even close. The question, right now at least, is when not if. But "if" is starting to creep into people's minds. The team is 3-2, right in the thick of things of the crowded house known as Pool B. Experience and winning pedigree keep her slowly moving back up the mountain. Up Next: PEI
8. #TeamGreen - Team Anderson (6): What a mixed bag of a day for Saskatchewan. You take the upset loss to previously winless New Brunswick in the morning only to follow it up with a gift wrapped W at night against Pool B front runner Quebec. So what do you do with that? How do you sort it out in your head (and for this ranking?). If the results were flipped, they defeat NB and lose to QC, would their ranking spot be any different? Honestly, I don't think so. They picked up a W on a two-game day, which ultimately is what you always want as a minimum. They brought back a front runner into the pack. And they control their fate with a 3-2 record. The big positive though is both of those losses were games they probably should have won. This team could easily be 5-0. They have to focus on the positives to climb into the Champ Pool. Wednesday afternoon will be a good 'ole fashion Prairie Donnybrook. Up Next: WC1
9. #TheIslanders - Team Birt (5): So PEI started the event as the #9 seed. They started strong and climbed up to the #5 spot on the mountain. And then they suffer one loss on a one-game day and back to their pre-event seeding they go. Fair? Perhaps not. But are those above them right now meant to really be below them either? Debatable. Similar to Manitoba, it feels like PEI is still struggling to find their game and hit their groove. And time may be running out. They control their fate with a 3-2 record in Pool B but their draw is not an easy one. Just look who they play on Wednesday. Jones does look vulnerable and Birt loves playing those "big name" teams. Expect a shoot out Wednesday afternoon. Up Next: MB
10. #WC3 - Team Peterson (13): Well who saw this coming? After dropping their past 3, WC3 is on a roll now picking up their second straight W Tuesday afternoon vs. WC/MB rival Zacharias. The win puts them at 3-3 and in the driver's seat for the fourth spot in the Champ Pool from Pool A. Their games may not be the most exciting or the most pretty but this team is grinding out the wins. Their Points For:Points Against is almost even (34:33). Their Ends Won:Ends Lost is even (24:24). What does this tell us? They are comfortable in close games, which is very important as the pressure starts to mount approaching the end of the RR. The one possible danger? The schedule. They play Wednesday morning and then do not hit the ice again until Thursday afternoon for the final RR game. Regardless what happens in their final 2 games, what a story! Up Next: NOnt
11. #TeamAcadia - Team Adams (16): Well hello New Brunswick! Did we write you off too soon? It would appear so. The other big mover of the day, also shooting up 5 spots on the mountain. But what else would you expect after picking up 2 wins and moving yourself right back into Champ Pool contention?! Ok so Team Adams started this competition slow but it isn't how you start, it is how you finish and this team has confidence and momentum. The big win over Saskatchewan Tuesday morning got them some confidence. The comeback win Tuesday night over Nunavut brought the momentum. Lets see how they handle it in their one game Wednesday afternoon. They happen to be playing another team on fire right now. Can they continue the climb or suffer a fall? Up Next: BC
12. #PolarPower - Team Galusha (9): Ok so this is a 3 spot drop on the mountain for Team NWT but with a small caveat. This drop is more credit to the two teams directly above them picking up big wins compared to Team Galusha taking a loss in their only game on Tuesday. For the first half of their game vs. Alberta, they looked great. Alberta was on a two-game losing streak and NWT looked poised to continue the streak. But the #SnaxAttack break gave energy to Alberta and NWT lost their focus in the second half of the game, being outscored 6-0 in 4 ends to take the 3-8 loss. A similar theme though for #PolarPower to the others teams fighting for the final spot in Pool A, you control your own fate. Go out, win your games and you can still advance. And sometimes that is all the motivation you need after a tough loss. Up Next: ON, YK
13. #TeamBluenose - Team Brothers (11): You caught the champs still sleeping and almost pulled the upset. There is the positive for Team Brothers from their one-game day on Tuesday. Unfortunately Canada woke up and put you to bed in the second half to end the upset bid. This has kind of been the narrative for Team Bluenose so far though. Lose and win and lose and win and lose (and lose). Point being they have shown they can rebound from a loss. And losing two straight against the only two undefeated teams left in the event is nothing to hang your head about. They may be 2-4 but if they win their final two games tomorrow, they could be right back in the driver seat. Remember they have the bye on Thursday. Up Next: WC2, NOnt
14. #FearTheMoose - Team Burns (12): The Battle of Ontario was....not so much of a battle unfortunately. The rookie team from Sudbury could not keep up with the powerhouse from Ottawa. When you give up a steal of 2 to open the game and another steal in the second end to fall behind 0-3 early, while still having hammer, you know you are in for a long game against one of the favs. They gave up the 4 in 8 and handshakes. But, even with the lopsided loss, they are still in contention for that coveted final spot in Pool A. They control their own fate. Up Next: WC3, NS
15. #TheRock - Team Hill (14): Is the glass slipper falling off? One of the Cinderella stories of the opening weekend was Sarah Hill and company, starting 2-0 and sitting atop Pool B. And then Tuesday hit. They opened the day playing Manitoba tough, tied at 4 playing 8. But experience prevailed. And then they were destroyed by BC in the night cap 10-1. Sitting at 2-3, they are still in the hunt but need to put an end to the losing streak. On the flip side, they were part of Jennifer Jones' #HERstory moment. Up Next: QC
16. #WC2 - Team Zacharias (15): Another tough result for the junior champs. They truly are the head scratcher of the week. They are putting up great numbers overall, curling 74% as a team, yet the results are not going their way. It is what we always say about stats though. You can curl a near perfect game but if you miss those one or two shots to score multiple points or limit your opposition or even steal, you may end up with the L regardless what the stat sheet says. Sitting 1-4 heading into an important two game day, they need to rebound and win both to keep those slim hopes alive. They are MUCH better than their record. Up Next: NS, ON
17. #TeamArctic - Team Eddy (14): Oh Nunavut! I thought you had it Tuesday night vs. NB. In control the majority of the game, sitting with a 6-4 lead after 6 and then then Bambi hit the ice. Giving up single steals in 10 and 11 to take the L will sting. On the plus side, as discussed in the Power Rankings yesterday, the team finally put together some multi-point ends. They scored 2 with hammer in 1 and 3 and scored a nice 3 in 6 to take the lead. Close....but same result. Up Next: BYE
18. #PurplePower - Team Eby (T17): Not much we can do here. Yukon did not step on the ice on Tuesday as Pool A only had one draw and Purple Power had the bye. Pro or Con? Tough to say. They last played Monday night when they were in control until giving up 5 in 9 to NOnt and lost the game. Will a day of rest help eliminate the game from the mind or do you fester in it all day? Tough games tomorrow, including the Battle of the Territories! Up Next: CAN, NWT
#StayTuned
Moving Day brought more questions than answers. What will happen on traditional Elimination Day?
Good luck and good curling....
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