CAREY STILL IN THE HUNT

TEAM CANADA EDGES MANITOBA IN SHOWDOWN

Carey hands Manitoba first loss; Ontario continues to set the pace at Scotties

Holding Alberta’s broom at the Canadian women’s curling championship made Heather Nedohin realize how much she missed it.

The 41-year-old quit competitive curling two years ago after two decades and a pair of national titles.

But the emergency call-up by Shannon Kleibrink has been coming off the bench a lot at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Catharines, Ont.

Nedohin skipped her second and third games for Alberta on Tuesday because of Kleibrink’s ailing back. Alberta’s record was 3-3 with Nedohin in the house for two of those wins.

“I have to be honest. I never thought I’d be back,” Nedohin said. “I’m going to get emotional. It feels really good to be back.

“For me, it’s harsh that’s Shannon’s back is not feeling well, but in the same sense, something was presented to me and I’m just going to roll with it.”

Alternates, or fifths, are insurance policies against injury and illness and generally don’t play much.

But anticipating they would need her, Nedohin also played lead in Alberta’s second game so she could get a feel for the Meridian Centre ice.

She and Manitoba’s Michelle Englot locked horns Tuesday until the 10th end when Nedohin missed her attempt at a deuce to send the game into an extra end.

Manitoba prevailed 9-5, but suffered their first loss at night falling 8-7 to defending champion Chelsea Carey of Calgary.

Ontario’s Rachel Homan downed Saskatchewan’s Penny Barker 7-4 to be alone atop the field at 7-0. Englot was 6-1 ahead of Carey at 5-1.

Quebec’s Eve Belisle, 52,and Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville, 4-2, each won twice Tuesday.

Galusha lost to Carey and Ontario to fall to 3-3 alongside Alberta. Prince Edward Island’s Robyn MacPhee and Stacie Curtis of Newfoundland and Labrador were tied at 2-4.

Also in the evening draw, McCarville defeated B.C.’s Marla Mallett 8-3 and Belisle doubled Nova Scotia’s Mary Mattatall 12-6.