Saskatchewan skip Mike McEwen had things well in hand on Tuesday night at the Regina Brier in his game against Nova Scotia’s Team Manuel. Down by a point in the sixth end, McEwan executed a masterful draw to get a single and tie the game heading into the seventh. After exchanging single points in the next three ends, disaster struck for the Saskatchewan team as the Nova Scotians stole a pair in the tenth to hand McEwan his first loss. 

The McEwen squad had been riding high with a 3-0 having knocked off heavy hitters Team Canada and Alberta’s Kevin Koe. Team Sask is back on the ice this afternoon facing Alberta’s Aaron Sluchinski.  

The Sask squad sits firmly in second place at the start of draw 10 with Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers and skip Brad Jacobs the only remaining undefeated team at 3-0. They take on BC helmed by Saskatchewan native Catlin Schneider in the morning session.  

Perennial favourites Kevin Koe and Brad Gushue both faced opening struggles at this year’s event. Gushue’s Team Canada is in peril with a 3-2 record, and Koe’s team may well be out of the playoff picture already with a record on 4-1. Only the top three teams from each of the two pools will head into the playoff round.