#Brier2021 Power Rankings - Day 5

 #BetweenTheSheets: Who Can Apply The Vice Grip?

The vice position can make or break a game...and your Brier hopes

Ah the vice position. It can resonate as its name says in the mind of a skip. 

Play well and your skipper has a clear head, clear shots and an easier path to victory.

Play poorly and....well just look at the facial expression of our purple-faced friend above. A bad game from a vice can put the vice grips on a skipper and the teams chances at picking up a win.

How are our vice boys doing inside the #IceBubble?

This special Power Rankings post is going to take a closer look at the vice position. 

Which teams are having success in part to the tremendous curling of their third player and which could use an extra hop in their step to help pick up those much-needed wins?

Ideally you want your vice to put the #ViceGrip on the opposition, not on your skipper.

The Power Rankings did take a day off, aligning with the open Monday morning, to drop a new podcast episode. 

Special Guest athlete/author/coach Brian Chick joined the podcast to discuss opening weekend action, COVID-19 mental health, Paralympic Winter Games excitement and his book Written In Stone: A Modern History of Curling.

If you missed the episode, catch up HERE. The #TwineTime podcast is also available via your favourite podcast streaming app. Welcome to the #TwineTimeFam Brian!

Time to take a look at the update Power Rankings mountain. Which teams are making their climb towards the top and a spot in the Championship Pool? Which teams are stepping on falling rocks and taking a tumble?

These rankings are through games completed as of Monday night.

#PowerRankings

1. #WC2 - Team Koe (2): B.J. Neufeld (88%) - Sitting tied for top of the table both as a team record and in the position, B.J. Neufeld should be receiving praise for helping land WC2 a 5-0 record heading into their date with Open Team 1. What can we say thus far? Everything is clicking at the right time. Interesting fact though. Neufeld's lowest percentage game was Monday night vs. Nunavut (81%) and is also the first time he has not outcurled his opposition. Of course the game was well in hand after the first end but still. Bit of a surprise with the number.  Up Next: BYE

2. #BuffaloHunt - Team Gunnlaugson (4): Adam Casey (88%) - Mr. Casey is having himself a Brier and his numbers reflect the teams record. Casey is not new to the Brier ice as 2021 marks his 8th appearance. But this might be the best we have seen him curl. He is firing on all cylinders right now, shown by his 95% stat vs. provincial rival WC1 Monday afternoon. If Casey can keep this up, Manitoba is going to be a dark horse playoff threat.  Up Next: NWT, NB

3. #ABStrong - Team Bottcher (6): Darren Moulding (87%) - Not only is Moulding consistent but he is also outcurling his opposition. In fact he has scored a "+" the past three games, meaning he bested his positional rival by at least 5%. Coincidence those three games have also resulted in wins? Hardly! He is setting up the ends for the skipper and results are paying off. The key to Alberta reaching a fourth straight Brier final likely rests on the release of Moulding's rocks.  Up Next: BYE, NOnt

4. #TeamGreen - Team Dunstone (7): Braeden Moskowy (83%) - Playing the defending champs was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Big Man from Regina. Moskowy had struggled the past few games, curling 74% and 78% respectfully. But he stepped it up in the big game vs. Canada Monday night, curling 89% and outcurling Mark Nichols (76%). This is the type of play Saskatchewan needs from him if they are going to get back to the playoffs this year and replicate, or better, the bronze medal of a year ago. Big game vs. Quebec on Tuesday.  Up Next: QC

5. #TeamAcadia - Team Grattan (3): Jonathan Beuk (83%) - New player, who dis? No questions asked here. Beuk is fitting in quite nicely with this Atlantic teammates and is a major reason why New Brunswick continues to wave the #TeamUpset flag and is now in perfect position to advance to the Champ Pool. He dominated Marc Kennedy (84% to 69%) in the Monday afternoon "upset" over Northern Ontario. Note this team has already played McEwen, Bottcher and Jacobs and owns a 2-1 record vs. the Big 3 of the pool. Beuk is no fluke and either is NB's record.  Up Next: YK, MB

6. #CurlON - Team Epping (10): Ryan Fry (84%) - When Ryan Fry is on his game, Ontario is a tough team to beat. When he struggles, it can carry over to the skip. He really can be the deciding factor in many games. Up to the point, the record perfectly reflects how Fry is doing. He is in the top echelon of third position players right now and the team is sitting 3-1, feeling pretty comfortable for a Champ Pool spot. He has also gone +3 in his past three games, which all just happened to be wins. And the one loss, in the opening draw to Canada, Fry curled 83% to Mark Nichols 82%, basically a tie. Fry can take Ontario to the Brier title.  Up Next: NL

7. #TeamCanada - Team Gushue (1): Mark Nichols (82%) - Lets be real here, it is not that Mark Nichols is curling bad. 82% overall is great number. The problem is his position opposition turns it on and comes to play when facing the defending champs. Nichols has only picked up a plus once and has received the minus the past two games. Let that sink in for a moment folks. He is curling 82% but is a -1. Only one other player in the entire competition is currently sitting Top 9 on the position chart and with a negative plus/minus (NWT second Brad Patzer, 84% and -2). For example, Nichols curled 84% vs. Ontario but Ryan Fry curled 97%. Canada took the loss and Nichols took the minus. The team is sitting 2-2 right now so Nichols needs to turn it up.  Up Next: NS

8. #WC3 - Team Howard/Middaugh (5): Scott Howard (84%) - I will admit I have been a bit on the fence with Scott Howard as vice but he is putting together a solid Brier behind Wayne Middaugh. He outcurled his opposition in the opening two games but ran into the scolding Moulding hand Monday afternoon, taking the minus and the loss (80% to 89%). We know Middaugh has the best delivery in the game and can make the shots. Howard just has to help set him up for success. Two big games coming up on Tuesday could tell just where this team is right now.  Up Next: WC1, BC

9. #WC1 - Team McEwen (9): Reid Carruthers (82%) - Carruthers has yet to really hit his stride this Brier. His numbers are lower than expected and he has been outcurled the past two games. Now, to his credit, in the loss to Gunnlaugson he curled 86%. Unfortunately position opposition Adam Casey curled 95% to pick up the W and the "+". Carruthers now sits -2 for the week and WC1 sits 2-2 in a crowded Pool A. Carruthers needs to step up his game and put the #ViceGrip on his positional opposition to, hopefully, help set up his team for some much-needed victories over the next few days.  Up Next: WC3, BYE

10. #FearTheMoose - Team Jacobs (8): Marc Kennedy (81%) - When Kennedy is on, the team usually picks up the W. But when he is struggling, the entire team rides the Struggle Bus with him. Take his last game vs. NB Monday afternoon. Kennedy curled 69% in taking the extra end loss. You have to wonder if he had curled anywhere close to his overall competition average (81%), would Team Jacobs have taken the loss? Oddly enough, the loss to NB was the first time Kennedy has been outcurled and taken the minus. This team is 2-2 and the backs are firmly against the wall now.   Up Next: BC, AB

11. #TeamBluenose - Team Murphy/McDonald (12): Paul Flemming (77%) - Consistency, consistency, consistency. It seems to be what plagues Nova Scotia. We saw it at the Scotties. We are seeing it at the Brier. One game they look like challengers. The next game they look sluggish. Paul Flemming's numbers are exactly that. 81% -> 94% -> 69% -> 88% -> 61%. Yes, oddly enough, the Bluenosers are 3-2 after knocking off Quebec Monday night, even with Flemming curling 61%. If Flemming can get consistent and put up big numbers at the same time as his skipper (in the same game), this team could still become a Champ Pool #TeamUpset challenger. If they ever needed consistency, it will be on Tuesday afternoon. Up Next: CAN

12. #Labelleprovince - Team Fournier (11): Martin Crête (83%) - The man anyone can identify regardless of where you are in an arena or if you are multi-tasking watching at home. When he yells, you know it. Crête is having himself a solid Brier thus far, which we expect given his credentials. He has outcurled his opposition in 4 of the 5 games, including the loss to Nova Scotia Monday night. If Quebec is to stay in the hunt, he may have to curl even better as the schedule here on in is daunting to say the least.  Up Next: SK

13. #TeamPacific - Team Laycock (13): Steve Laycock (78%) - Don't give up on Laycock and the Pacific boys quite yet. They seem to be starting to hit their stride. Laycock put up a horrible number in their opener (69%) but since have come on the ice with back-to-back 83% games, outcurling his position opposition in both to sit at a +1 after three games. Yes this team is 1-2 right now but they are trending up after picking up their first win. Tuesday's games will be huge for Laycock if B.C. wants to get back into Champ Pool contention.  Up Next: NOnt, WC3

14. #TheRock - Team Smith (14): Greg Blyde (65%) - Sometimes a rookie player just needs that one big game where they curl great and the team picks up the win. Confidence and momentum come back into play and everything is right in the world. You got yourself a game Monday night Greg Blyde. Now, can you ride the momentum moving forward? Blyde's first Brier game was a 46% loss. The next three games were all in the 60's. But Monday night against PEI he found his confidence and curled 84%. Sure he did not pick up the plus and PEI's Tyler Smith curled 83% but he did outcurl him nonetheless and NL picked up their first win of the event. Can he grow the confidence as the rest of the games are must wins now?  Up Next: ONT

15. #PolarPower - Team Skauge (16): Tom Naugler (75%) - You know it is not that Naugler is curling bad, his numbers are respectable for an overall average of 75% through three games. The problem is he is being outcurled by his position opposition every game. He is sitting -3 for the event, which makes it tough to pick up those Ws. But he is getting better. In the teams last game, the almost "upset" vs. NOnt, Naugler curled 79% (compared to Kennedy's 84%). Naugler has the experience of being in the Brier and his experience is exactly what skipper Greg Skauge needs to rely on right now.  Up Next: MB, YK

16. #TheIslanders - Team MacKenzie (15): Tyler Smith (76%) - Lets Go Tyler Smith! Ok so PEI probably is not going to advance to the Champ Pool here. Fine. BUT, this is a huge learning opportunity for Tyler Smith, who can be the future of PEI curling. Remember folks, he just competed at the 2020 Canadian Junior Curling Championship where he reached the Champ Pool and finished a game out of the playoffs. Now here he is representing PEI at the Brier one year later. He even got to try his hand at skipping during their game against Team Koe. How did he do? He curled 81% over the final four ends of play. This feels like a passing of the torch from Eddie MacKenzie to Tyler Smith and we are here for it! He has two games where he has curled over 80% so nerves aren't there and the talent is. Lets see how he wraps up his first Brier because I have a feeling we are going to see him here again soon...and often. As always #growthesport!  Up Next: NU

17. #PurplePower - Team Mikkelsen (17): Alexx Peech (64%) - It has not been an easy welcome to the Brier ice for rookie third Alexx Peech. He sits at -3 after being outcurled in three of their four games. On the flip side, he rebounds nicely from a bad game. In his first Brier game he curled 61% but rebounded to curl 74% vs. a tough Manitoba squad. He dipped to 53% in his next game but then raised the level a bit for 67% in the following game vs. B.C. If he gains some consistency from game to game the confidence might come as well and he can start putting his team in better position to score those multi-point ends or, even better, avoid giving up those steals.  Up Next: NB, NWT

18. #TeamArctic - Team Mackey (18): Brady St. Louis (72%) - Nunavut has been playing around with the line up throughout the event, outside of skip Peter Mackey staying at the head of the house. Brady St. Louis was originally listed as the 5th man for this team but has stepped up into the vice position for the past 3 games. And he is getting better and better each game. From 63% -> 72% -> 77%, the curve is projecting upwards and this is exactly what you want to see out of an up and coming curler. He is only 23 years old after all. But the future is looking bright. He did win a Canadian College Curling Championship in 2017 as second with the Fanshawe Falcons. And won silver the following year as lead. Similar to PEI's Smith, St. Louis could become the face of Nunavut curling in the future and this experience, curling at this Brier, could be the first slide out of the hack. We have seen him having some good conversations with guys like Matt Dunstone and John Morris. He is out there to play and win but also to learn from the "pros" around him. Lets Go Brady! The #TwineTime blog is rooting for you.  Up Next: PEI

#StayTuned

What do you think of the #PowerRankings? Agree? Disagree? Who are your big movers and shakers? Are your favourites trending up or down? Share your thoughts on social media or in the comment section below and have your say.

Power Rankings mountain will be updated once again tomorrow as we welcome #MovingDay.

The Big Red marker has been putting in the work since Draw 1 as Special Guest Casey Scheidegger and I prepare for the tradition Midterm Grades podcast sliding into your house at the conclusion of the opening RR.

Good luck and good curling....