Issue 3 – Monday, March 4, 2013 • An Official Publication of the Canadian Curling Association. Magnifique Menard! Quebec skip Jean-Michel Menard had a perfect Sunday knocking off Alberta’s Kevin Martin and Territories’ Jamie Koe to stay unbeaten at the Tim Hortons Brier in Edmonton. MICHAEL BURNS/CCA Sponsor of the Day See Sponsor Profiles on page 14 Page 2 2013 Tim Hortons Brier – Tankard Times Howard outduels longtime rival JIM MORRIS The Tankard Times His team was careening toward the ditch but Kevin Martin was finally able to grab the steering wheel and get his Alberta rink on the winning path Sunday. Martin’s crew of John Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert mended some tattered confidence with a 10-3 win over B.C.’s Andrew Bilesky in the evening draw at the Tim Hortons Brier, presented by Monsanto. Martin’s first win after two losses came in a game he couldn’t afford to lose. “The third loss doesn’t mean you’re out, but it puts your back against the wall,” said the 46-year-old skip who is looking to win a record fifth Brier. In Sunday night’s other marquee matchup defending cham- pion Glenn Howard of Ontario remained undefeated with a 8-5 win over Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton. Ontario is 3-0 while Stoughton dropped to 2-1. “I really liked the way we played that game,” said Howard. “We got Jeff on an off day. “We didn’t get ourselves in trouble the whole game. It felt good.” A couple of misplayed draws cost Stoughton. “It was frustrating to miss too many last shots,” he said. “We’ll regroup.” Brad Gushue of Newfoundland & Labrador dodged a bullet in a 7-6 extra-end victory against James Grattan of New Brun- swick. Grattan had a chance for the win with his last stone but was heavy on a draw, allowing Gushue to steal the point and improve to 4-0. “That’s a nice one to win,” said Gushue, the 2006 Olympic gold medallist. “It was poorly played but we caught a good break. “We made some good shots down the stretch. It was proba- bly a game we didn’t deserve to win.” In the other evening game Jamie Koe of NWT/Territories beat Eddie MacKenzie of P.E.I. 8-3. Newfoundland & Labrador lead the standings at 4-0, fol- lowed by Northern Ontario, Quebec and Ontario at 3-0. Man- itoba is 2-1 while the NWT/Territories is 2-2. Alberta and Sas- katchewan are 1-2 and New Brunswick 1-3. Nova Scotia and B.C. are 0-3 while P.E.I. is 0-4. Bilesky was an underdog against Martin but scored two in the first end. Martin matched that with a deuce of his own in the second. He then stole a point in the third, took advantage of a failed Bilesky draw to steal three more in the fourth, then stole another in the fifth. The game ended with Alberta scoring three in the seventh end. “We actually made the other team have to shoot,” said Mar- tin. Alberta began the day with a 8-4 loss to Quebec’s Jean- Michel Menard. That followed a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Stoughton Saturday night. Losing is unfamiliar territory for Martin’s rink. “It’s new ground and it’s hard to stay positive when you’re not winning,” said Kennedy. “We’re probably on our last life. We’ll see what happens.” While Martin tries to get back on track, Menard of Quebec and Brad Jacobs of Northern Ontario are already picking up steam with 3-0 records. Two of the game’s greatest: Glenn Howard and Jeff Stoughton squared off Sunday – Howard coming out on top to stay CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 undefeated in Edmonton. Monday, March 4, 2013 Page 3 Alberta’s Ol’ Bear Kevin Martin got on the board with a win over B.C. Sunday night. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Besides beating Martin, Menard doubled the NWT/Territories 6-3 during the afternoon. Jacobs dusted B.C. 9-3 in seven ends in the morning then pounded Eddie MacKenzie 10-4 in the afternoon. In the other afternoon game New Brunswick beat Paul Flemming of Nova Scotia 8-4. Menard took advantage of some uncharacteristic Martin mistakes in his win over Alberta. Enjoy Amarula over ice, or with Quebec sealed the victory with three points in the ninth end. coffee topped with whipped cream “They made some errors that usually they don’t make,” said the 37-year-old skip from the Etchemin Curling Club. “We were able to capitalize and make them pay every time he made - it’s the perfect winter warmer. those mistakes. “Usually it’s the opposite around. We miss and they make a shot and we’re in trouble.” Martin was frustrated after the loss. “We have to start making some shots,” he said. “That’s really all there is to it. “We’re up against the fence most ends. It’s a tough way to play the game like that. We went through streaks before.” Jacobs admits the schedule has played a roll in his prefect record. “It’s maybe a little easier start than normal,” said the Royal Bank employee from Sault Ste. Marie. “The three games we had were close for about half the game. “It’s nice to get a few games under your belt. If you get a couple of those big guys off the start you could be 0-3. You have win the rest of your games.” It was a tough day for Brock Virtue’s Saskatchewan rink. They lost 7-5 to Howard in the morning then were beaten 7-2 in seven ends by Gushue in the afternoon to fall to 1-2. Virtue stomped off the ice after the afternoon loss. He crumbled up a piece of containing a media interview request and fired it on the floor. “We are behind the eight ball,” Virtue said. “Now we just have to bounce back and make sure we come back strong tomorrow and put ourselves in a good position for the rest of the week. “We have our work cut out for us now. It’s by no means out of the question (that) we can still THE OFFICIAL SPIRIT OF be in the playoffs at the end of the week.” CHAMPIONSHIP CURLING Gushue is happy over how his young team is responding to the Brier pressure. Third Brett Gallant is playing in his first Canadian men’s championship while second Adam Casey and lead Geoff Walker are in their second. “I think we’re going to get tougher tests as we go,” said Gushue. “The good thing is we are throwing the rock well and we seem to have a good grasp of the draw weight.” www.amarula.com Represented by PMA Canada Ltd. | www.pmacanada.com Stoughton started the day with a 9-4 win over Flemming. Manitoba held a slim 5-4 lead after Find us on Facebook: Amarula is a rare find. Appreciate accordingly. facebook.com/Amarula seven ends but scored four in the eighth for the win. Page 4 2013 Tim Hortons Brier – Tankard Times HOW THEY GOT HERE: NORTHERN ONTATRIO Adding Fry a key for Jacobs crew THE TANKARD TIMES Ever since Brad Jacobs and the Harnden boys from Sault Ste. Marie appeared on the Tim Hortons Brier scene, the Moose- men from North Ontario have been afforded the kind of respect unheard of since the days of Al Hackner and Rick Lang. Mind you, Hackner skipped a pair of Brier winners and Lang was a part of three such successes. The gang from the Soo still is searching for the first big breakthrough. For the record, Hackner is tied for sixth place with Rick Folk on the Brier’s all-time winners’ list with 62 triumphs. But Jacobs, over the past three Briers, has accumulated 21 . and counting. Heading into their fourth straight Brier, Jacobs and the Har- ndens have revamped the batting order somewhat, rescuing Manitoba native Ryan Fry from a stint in Newfoundland and fit- ting him in at third stones. That meant the Harndens dropped back to second and lead respectively. Fry, of course, has impressive bloodlines. His daddy won this affair in 1979, the last year of sponsorship for the Macdonald smoke people. “We put this team together when Ryan, E.J. and I needed a player and when Fry needed a team,” the 27-year-old Jacobs, a banker, said later. “We all have the same goal in mind — wanting to win and be the best. When we assembled this team we figured if we put the time in both on and off the ice, in time we could accomplish our goals. To this point, we’ve had a great season and we would all agree this is right where we want to be heading into the Brier.” Brad Jacobs CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 YOUR GATOR.™ YOUR ADVENTURE. Go wherever the trails take you—conquer the mountains, roam the plains or cross the waters— with 4WD, high ground clearance and a fully independent suspension. 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