The two-time Olympic curling champion opened the game with an opening triple before eventually taking a 6-1 lead after the quarter. After Deagle scored two in the fifth end, followed by two scoreless ends for both sides, Gushue’s team put together a two-run eighth end to go up 8-3. Diggle scored one more before the game ended. In other men’s tie action, fourth-seeded Kevin Koe opened his tournament with a strong 13-4 win over Jack Smeltzer. No. 5 Reid Carruthers defeated Braden Calvert 11-2, while John Epping was also a 7-4 winner over Mike McEwen. Earlier in the day, Rachel Homan raced to an early five-point lead and cruised to a comfortable 8-4 win over Suzanne Birt. Homan, who is coming in fourth on a team now shunted by third-place Tracy Fleury, shot 89 percent in the first-round win at Willie O’Ree Place. Kaitlyn Lawes beat Emily Deschenes 10-8 and Kristie Moore, filling in for Casey Scheidegger, beat Kerry Galusha 8-7. Penny Barker scored three points in the 10th end for a 10-9 win over Holly Duncan in the only early upset. The game continues until Sunday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 22, 2022.
