Gushue rink off to strong start at worlds
Canada’s Brad Gushue wanted to build on his team’s strong performance during the national playdowns in his first appearance at the Ford World Men’s Curling Championship.
His St. John’s, N.L., rink has done just that over the first few days at the Northlands Coliseum. It should give pause to other teams hoping to reach the top step of the podium.
“I think we’re in a little bit better form, to be quite honest,” Gushue said Monday. “For this early, we’re certainly (playing well). As you guys saw at the Brier, we struggled the first five games. But here I think we’re building.
“I don’t think we’re firing on all cylinders yet but I certainly like where we are.”
Gushue electrified Mile One Centre in his hometown last month with a victory over Kevin Koe in the Tim Hortons Brier final.
The 2006 Olympic champion got off to a strong start in his first world men’s appearance, winning his first four matches, including an 8-2 rout of Scotland’s David Murdoch Monday afternoon. Gushue faced American John Shuster in Monday’s evening draw.
In other games, Sweden’s Niklas Edin held off Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi 8-5, China’s Rui Liu dumped Dutch skip Jaap van Dorp 9-3 and Norway’s Steffen Walstad got by Russia’s Alexey Stukalskiy 5-3.
Gushue was in control from the start against Murdoch, who won Olympic silver at the 2014 Sochi Games.
Gushue opened with a deuce and forced Murdoch to draw for one in the second end.
An open draw for two gave Gushue a 4-1 lead and he added another pair when Murdoch was heavy with his final throw in the fourth.
The teams exchanged singles before shaking hands after seven ends.
“I’m happy the game went the way it did,” Gushue said. “It’s always nice to get a game where it doesn’t come down to the last rock.”