Tim Hortons Brier 2016: Friday Curling Results, Updated Draw and Schedule
Round-robin play at the 2016 Tim Hortons Brier came to a close Friday at TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ontario, with the 17th and final draw. The results set the final rankings for the playoffs, which kick off Friday night utilizing the Page playoff system.
Northern Ontario, led by Brad Jacobs, and Brad Gushue's Newfoundland and Labrador squad headlined the action after coming into the day with a combined 19-1 record. Those sides could very well end up meeting again in Sunday's championship match.
Let's check out all of the day's results, which will be updated through the end of play. That's followed by a look at the playoff schedule and a recap of the top storylines.
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Draw 17 Results
| A | British Columbia vs. New Brunswick | 7-5 BC |
| B | Manitoba vs. Prince Edward Island | 8-3 MAN |
| C | Quebec vs. Northwest Territories | 8-6 NT |
| D | Northern Ontario vs. Newfoundland and Labrador | 4-1 NO |
Page Playoffs Schedule
| Position | 1 | No. 2 Newfoundland and Labrador vs. No. 1 Northern Ontario (7-6 N&L) | Friday |
| Position | 2 | No. 3 Alberta vs. No. 4 Manitoba | Saturday at 2:30 p.m. |
| Semifinal | 3 | Northern Ontario vs. Game 2 Winner | Saturday at 7:30 p.m. |
| Bronze | 4 | Game 2 Loser vs. Game 3 Loser | Sunday at 2:30 p.m. |
| Gold | 5 | Newfoundland and Labrador vs. Game 3 Winner | Sunday at 7:30 p.m. |
Draw 17 Recap
As expected, the first battle of the tournament between Northern Ontario (11-0) and Newfoundland and Labrador (9-2) was a technical battle. The sides went five scoreless ends before Jacobs' group finally broke the deadlock in the sixth.
Northern Ontario ended up carrying a 2-1 lead into the final end and locked up the victory with an additional two points to close it out. It finishes the round-robin portion of the tournament with a perfect 11-0 record as a result.
Gregory Strong of the Canadian Press provided an accurate description of the matchup:
There were a couple of reasons for that. Both teams have showcased terrific shot-making ability throughout the event. And, perhaps more importantly, Jacobs and Gushue knew they were in line to play again in the playoffs, meaning they may not have wanted to show too much.
Manitoba (8-3) will also enter the playoffs on a high note after a strong showing to knock off Prince Edward Island (2-9). Mike McEwen and Co. fell behind 3-1 through three ends before storming back with seven points over the next five to secure the victory.
They will need to carry that momentum into their meeting with Alberta (8-3) to start their playoff run. Kevin Koe's team scored a dominant 9-4 victory in the first matchup back in the seventh draw, which included a four-point end.
Elsewhere, British Columbia (3-8) ended its tournament journey in thrilling fashion with a deuce in the final end to edge New Brunswick (3-8). Team skip Jim Cotter would have liked to finish with a better record, but it ends on a high note.
The Northwest Territories (3-8) held off a late rally from Quebec (4-7) in the draw's final match. The Jamie Koe-led group scored four in the sixth to take a commanding lead. Jean-Michel Menard tried to mount a comeback starting with two in the eighth, but it was too little, too late.
Friday night's meeting between Jacobs and Gushue provided a little more entertainment value as Draw 18 got under way, with Newfoundland and Labrador narrowly winning the heralded 'Battle of the Brads'.
Both sides adopted a more conservative approach in their Draw 17 tie, but they came flying out of the blocks on Friday night. It was Northern Ontario that started the brighter, as Jacobs' side sprung into a 4-1 lead after five ends.
However, Gushue and co. then turned on the style to win three of the next five and force an extra end, where Newfoundland and Labrador just edged it to secure a spot at Sunday's final.
Northern Ontario have been nothing but solid throughout the Brier, but sloppy mistakes and Gushue's class ultimately cost them. However, they still have a chance to get revenge, as they take on one of Manitoba or Alberta for a place in the final.
Alberta will be the favourites to emerge from that contest, and if they do earn the right to face Northern Ontario, Jacobs will be full of confidence that his side can repeat their 8-3 demolition of Koe's side back in Draw 10.
All statistics courtesy of the tournament's official site.
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