Gushue rink captures Brier title in their home town
Newfoundland skip’s storybook finish puts away Team Canada in the 10th end
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador defeated Canada’s Kevin Koe 7-6 on Sunday night to win the Brier for the first time.
After a back-and-forth affair, Gushue had hammer in the 10th end and used it to his advantage. He hit a draw for the single point to send the raucous capacity crowd at the Mile One Centre into a tizzy.
Gushue threw his broom in the air in celebration when his stone moved into the eight-foot ring and just past the Canada rock for the victory.
“I knew we had it,” Gushue said. “I was somewhat celebrating from the hog-line in because I felt it was going to be a little closer to the button. But anyway it turned out, it doesn’t matter.
“Ten years from now, you’re never going to know what shot you had to win. It’s just the matter that you won.”
This was Gushue’s 14th career appearance at the Brier. The 2006 Olympic champion lost in last year’s final to Koe and fell to Ontario’s Glenn Howard in the 2007 final.
Gushue is the first Newfoundlander to hoist the Brier Tankard since Jack MacDuff in 1976.
Koe was looking for his fourth career Brier crown. He also won in 2010 and 2014.
“I’m proud of the guys. We fought back and made a game of it,” he said. “It probably makes it a little more disappointing.”
After an opening blank, the local favourites took advantage after Canada second Brent Laing flashed a stone. With Newfoundland and Labrador sitting three, Koe took one opposition stone out with his last throw but Gushue followed with a draw for a 3-0 lead.
The St. John’s side battled some injuries throughout the competition. Gushue has been somewhat limited all season due to a hip issue and lead Geoff Walker is nursing a shoulder injury.
Newfoundland and Labrador vice-skip Mark Nichols frequently helped Walker and second Brett Gallant with sweeping duties. Nichols was also in form with his shooting, delivering a nice double takeout to force Koe to settle for a blank in the third end.
Koe rubbed a guard with his final throw but still scored one in the
I knew we had it … Ten years from now, you’re never going to know what shot you had to win. It’s just the matter that you won.
fourth. Gushue had a draw for a pair in the fifth and his St. John’s rink took a 5-1 lead into the break.
The electric atmosphere in the 6,000-seat venue was muted somewhat after Koe’s triple takeout in the sixth end for three made it a one-point game. Gushue attempted a double takeout in the seventh but a Canada stone caught just enough of the eight-foot for a steal.
Koe forced Gushue to hit a takeout for a single in the eighth end. In the ninth, Gushue picked out a Canada stone to lay three and forced Koe to draw for one, tying the game at 6-6, with Gushue getting the hammer for the final end.
Koe and his team of Laing, lead Ben Hebert and third Marc Kennedy defeated Gushue 9-5 in last year’s gold medal game.
This was the first time the national men’s curling championship has been played in St. John’s since 1972. A sellout crowd of 6,471 watched the final to push overall attendance to 122,592.
Gushue will represent Canada at the world men’s curling championship in Edmonton from April 1 to 9.
The team also gets a base payout of $71,000 in prize money, cresting and funding. A minimum of $30,000 will also be awarded for additional cresting and promotional appearances and Sport Canada will award funding of $144,000 over two years.
Koe’s team earns $45,000 in prize money for winning silver.
Gushue can secure a berth in the Olympic trials in Ottawa from Dec. 2 to 10 if he reaches the podium at the world championship. Koe has already locked up a spot at the trials.