It was just the kind of start Matt Dunstone was hoping for as he took to the Farrell Agencies Arena curling ice today at the Meridian Canadian Open in Yorkton.
The Regina skip was taking on Niklas Edin of Sweden with the Dunstone crew jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first end, then adding one in the second, two in the fifth and five more in the seventh before the Edin team said uncle 鈥� the final score 10-4 after seven ends.
鈥淲e needed that,鈥� said Dunstone after the game, adding it was the sort of win he hopes the team can build on the rest of the week. 鈥� ... It鈥檚 definitely step number one.鈥�
So what was the key to a 10-point win for the team that includes Braeden Moskowy at third, Catlin Schneider at second and Dustin Kidby at lead?
鈥淲e saw what the ice was going to give us, and we believed it,鈥� said Dunstone.
Trusting what you read in the ice is critical to success in curling, but Dunstone said it鈥檚 not always easy 鈥渢o buy in what you鈥檙e seeing.鈥�
Wednesday in Yorkton that meant recognizing the ice was fast.
鈥淭he fastest we鈥檝e seen out there,鈥� said Dunstone, adding 鈥淪askatchewan鈥檚 minus-50鈥� likely 鈥渉ad something to do with that.鈥�
The ice was also running very straight, which can be a good thing if as a skip you accept that.
Dunstone said while he likes to think he can read ice 鈥渙r I probably wouldn鈥檛 be skipping鈥� lacking trust in what you are seeing has caused lots of teams to lose games.
It helps that the Dunstone team is something of a default favourite in Yorkton, being one of only two Saskatchewan teams; the other being the Muyres foursome from Saskatoon.
鈥淲e鈥檝e definitely got the fan support,鈥� offered Dunstone, adding it is always a positive to have the crowd on your side.
The Yorkton event is also being used as a tune-up by the Dunstone foursome with the Saskatchewan Tankard just around the corner, with the top 16 men鈥檚 teams in the province competing Jan. 29 鈥� Feb. 2, in Melville.
鈥淭his is kind of a tune-up for us,鈥� said Dunstone. 鈥淚t puts an extra layer of importance on it (the Yorkton event).鈥�
While the Yorkton event can be an opportunity to work on throws in front of the Tankard, the two events are significantly different in terms of how one approaches them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a different animal,鈥� Dunstone said of the upcoming Tankard. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of all or nothing.鈥�
The Meridian Canadian Open, as part of Pinty鈥檚 Grand Slam of Curling is of course ultra-tough in terms of competition. Dunstone noted the tour attracts 15 or 16 of the best teams in the sport calling it the elite competition 鈥渙n the planet鈥�.
But you can finish second in Yorkton and take home something. At the Tankard only the winner goes to the national stage to represent Saskatchewan.
Dunstone said his team wants to be that team in 2020.
鈥淚t鈥檚 100 per cent number one for us,鈥� he said.
Dunstone also realizes it has been a while since a Saskatchewan team has topped the field nationally; Kronau鈥檚 Amber Holland in 2011. The drought on the men鈥檚 side goes back to 1980 when the Rick Folk rink from Saskatoon won.
鈥淐urling鈥檚 still more than alive and well (in the province),鈥� assured Dunstone, but added Saskatchewan鈥檚 curlers are keenly aware another championship is due.
The Regina rink feels ready to take up the challenge, adding they have a rather simple philosophy right now. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really focused on what makes us good,鈥� he said, adding that means playing their game and going with what the ice tells them.
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