REGINA - For Mike McEwen and Team Saskatchewan there was no Hollywood ending and no storybook finish to the 2024 Montana’s Brier.
Instead it was a decisive win for Brad Gushue and Team Canada for a third straight Brier and sixth Brier title overall in defeating Saskatchewan 9-5.
“I didn’t know I’d be here but It feels awesome,” said Gushue to reporters afterwards. “You know what, to start off the week the way we did, and really, we lacked confidence at the beginning of the week. I know it’s fun to see it develop more and more as the week went on, and the ice surface was a little bit different here tonight. That took a little of that confidence away, but we battled through and got the win, it’s just awesome.”
It was a battle between the two teams that were hitting their stride at the right time. But the magic that McEwen and team had going for them coming into the game simply was not there, possibly because of the conditions of the ice surface.
“Tough conditions. I think you could tell that both teams were struggling with the ice, but Brad was stellar, you know, the first four ends. He nailed us in those four ends.”
The performance of the Gushue team early on took the energy right out of the pro-Saskatchewan crowd at Brandt Centre almost from the get-go. Gushue scored twice in the second and then three times in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead.
Saskatchewan showed signs of life with one in the fifth, and then two more in the sixth — an end that saw McEwen come within a hair of scoring three.
“We were a whisker from stealing three on that measure, that would have tied the game,” said McEwen of that crucial end.
Instead, Team Canada scored two in the seventh to break it open again at 7-4. Saskatchewan scored one in the eighth end but Gushue scored two more in the ninth for a 9-5 advantage, and that was enough as the McEwen team shook hands.
For Saskatchewan it extends the Brier drought to 45 years. But the McEwen team, which was formed just six months ago, held their heads high about their performance throughout the week.
“We have everything to be proud of what we did in six months,” said McEwen. “This is a great team and we’re not done yet.”
Team Saskatchewan third Colton Flasch was encouraged about his team's performance with McEwen as skip. "It's our first year together, so I expect good things from this team coming in the future and I think we're just going to get better from here."
As for McEwen's comment of "we're not done yet," Flasch said: "I can't wait. I hope we get back to the Brier again and obviously our goal is to go to trials. So, we have another event this year and hope to finish up strong."
