The good news for the Jim Cotter rink is there’s not a lot of time to dwell on the win that got away from him Monday morning.
Leading 8-5 without hammer, the B.C. champs gave up a four-ender to Saskatchewan’s Matt Dunstone, who came away with a 9-8 victory at the Tim Hortons Brier Canadian Men’s Curling Championships in Kingston, Ont.
The win improves Dunstone’s record in Pool A to 2-1 while Cotter’s Vernon rink, consisting of Steve Laycock of Saskatoon, Kelowna’s Andrew Nerpin, Rick Sawatsky of Vernon and fifth player Brad Wood of Penticton, drops to 1-2 heading into a game with undefeated Mike McEwen’s Winnipeg Wild Card rink (3-0) Monday at 11 a.m. Pacific.
READ MORE: Vernon rink begins Brier with win
McEwen beat Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories (0-3) by a score of 6-2.
Dunstone, whose rink includes former Cotter teammate Catlin Schneider, jumped out to a 4-1 lead with a deuce heading into the fifth-end break. Cotter countered with a three-spot in six to tie the game 4-4, then stole two in seventh for a 6-4 lead.
Dunstone got one back in eight and Cotter picked up a deuce with hammer in the ninth for an 8-5 lead, setting the stage for Saskatchewan’s dramatic comeback.
* Spallumcheen’s Ina Forrest and Team Canada improved to 3-1 Monday with a 6-4 win over host Switzerland at the World Wheelchair Championships in Wetzikan.
Canada plays Scotland (2-2) Monday evening.
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