Day 1 - Off to a Roaring Start
Saturday, March 8, 2008 | 04:52 PM ET
No real big surprises on Day 1 here in cold and snowy Winterpeg. When does spring start again?
Draw 1, Key game - Howard vs Ursel. After a slow start to the game the defending champs put on a clinic, outscoring B.C. 7-1 over the last five ends. B.C. looked strong out of the gate, but Jim Cotter, throwing last rock (fourth stone?) looked nervous and tentative, never finding his draw weight when the team needed it the most.
The big showdown turned out to be the Saskatchewan vs Nfld game, lots of points on the board with Gushue needing a raise double for two to tie or if he stuck it a chance for three. If you noticed he seemed a little rushed, he was, their time was running out (55 seconds to throw his last rock)! For such a big shot, I’m sure that little extra time would have been nice, and in the end the shot was missed, leaving Saskatchewan the victors.
Time management is key
So you ask “how could they be so close on time?” Hmm, slow play and decision making. You have 73 minutes and two one-minute timeouts to complete the game. To make up time or to conserve time the front end players have to be ready to throw every time it’s their turn. The third and skip need to make quick decisions and use their allotted two timeouts during the game wisely.
During the Capital One Grand Slams events they have moved to a new timing process where the clock only runs during “Thinking Time.” This means your time clock starts when the opposition’s stone comes to rest, and then stops once your thrower crosses the back line in the house. What this process eliminates is the time it takes a rock to travel down the ice. Meaning, the draw game is not punished (average travel time down the ice 35 seconds) as compared to a takeout (15 seconds). I’m sure the CCA will look at adopting this method of timing in the near future.
As expected Manitoba won their first game over the NWT and Northern Ontario beat PEI.
Draw 2, Key game – Howard vs Gushue. What should have been a barn burner turned out to be a blowout. Howard winning easily in eight ends, final score 8-1. Gushue’s team now sit at 0-2, needing to put together a winning streak like they did last year when they started 1-3, then won eight in a row only to lose the championship final to Howard. Gushue’s team struggled with the ice and weight all day, and will need Mark Nichols at third, to pick up his game if they hope to make a run to the playoffs.
In other games, Alberta controlled their game against Quebec from the onset and won.
The senior citizens team (OK, OK, they are only considered seniors when curling) from Nova Scotia won their first game against New Brunswick and the Buffalo boys swept their opening day by dropping PEI.
First day observations: Pretty good crowd for day one, averaging over 8,300 fans per draw and pretty darn quiet crowd for day one as well. I know we are suppose to be the most knowledgeable crowd out there, but please get off your hands, the curlers love to hear some noise!
Key games to watch:
Draw 3, Sun 8:30 a.m. – Alberta vs B.C. (what’s up with the really early Sunday game! Every other morning draw starts at 9:30am, and, just to punish these teams, we all lose one hour of sleep tonight. Don’t forget to put your clocks ahead one hour!)
Draw 4, Sun 2 p.m. – Quebec vs Ontario
Draw 5, Sun 7 p.m. – B.C. vs Sask.
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About the Author
Former world and Brier champion Jeff Stoughton joins CBCSports.ca with his take on the 2008 Canadian men’s curling championship.
The Winnipeg native - widely regarded as one of this country's top skips - captured Brier titles in 1996 and 1999, winning the world championship in 1996 and finishing second in 1999.
Stoughton has won a record six provincial titles over his career. He currently curls out of the Charleswood Curling Club with teammates Ryan Fry, Rob Fowler, Steve Gould.
Fans can keep track of Team Stoughton on their website: http://www.teamjeffstoughton.com
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