'Roar of the Rings' - Men's Draw 7

So…I called it…although it was a little tighter than I thought…This morning, things went according to plan, setting up a fairly clean table going into the final men’s draw. Well…clean compared to the Women’s anyways.

Glenn Howard was able to stay undefeated, although it took a key steal of 2 in the 9th to slip past Ferbey. Martin and Koe went back and forth all game, but Martin was able to edge ahead in an extra. Stoughton just about blew it, but he was able to steal 10, and steal an extra to avoid a big loss to Middaugh.

So where does that leave us?

We know for sure that Martin and Howard are in the playoffs, and Stoughton is now guaranteed at least a tiebreaker. Koe and Ferbey are still alive, but they need help from Stoughton to get a tiebreaker. As Ferbey an Koe are playing each other, we know that at most there will be one tiebreaker between the winner of that game and Stoughton, should he lose. If Stoughton wins versus Simmons, there is no tiebreaker and the Ferbey-Koe winner is SOL.

Men’s Draw 7 – 8:00 PM

Howard (6-0) v. Martin (5-1)

Gotta get boring? Not for fans anyways…

For the umpteenth time, Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard will face off on a Thursday in the last game of the round robin, with first place in the round-robin on the line.

Tonight, the prize is a bye right to Sunday’s final…and the chance to avoid a big hurdle in the Semi-Final game. Its cut and dry really, win and you move on, lose and you get the semi-final game. Martin has had Howard’s number recently, topping him in the Round-Robin and 1-2 Game at the ’09 Brier, the ’08 Brier Final and the ’07 Briere Round-Robin.

Stoughton (4-2) v. Simmons (2-4)
Stoughton just about blew it this morning against Middaugh, but was able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat by stealing a single in the 10th, then repeating the feat in the 11th. That gives Stoughton control of his own destiny. Win and he gets the loser of the Howard-Martin game in the Semi’s. Lose, and he gets the winner of the Ferbey-Koe game in a tiebreaker.

Ferbey (3-3) v. Koe (3-3)
Both teams suffered key losses this morning, with Ferbey letting one slip away against Howard via the steal of 2 in the 9th, and Koe dropping an extra-end decision to Martin. That puts them both at 3-3, and needing help.

The loser is done here, with the winner needing help. If Stoughton wins his game, this one is meaningless. Only a loss by Stoughton gives the winner a tiebreaker.

Gunnlaughson (0-6) v. Middaugh (1-5)
Middaugh almost played spoiler vs. Stoughton this morning, but instead fell to 1-5. He’s been out of it for a while, and is just playing out the string. Gunnlaugson hasn’t managed to pick up a win yet, and this is his best chance to do so.