CORNER BROOK, N.L. -- Newfoundland and Labrador's Greg Smith finished the opening day at the Canadian junior curling championships with an 8-3 win over Ontario's Mac Calwell on Saturday night. The 18-year-old skip from St. John's, N.L. had a double-takeout in the sixth end to score three, before stealing one in the seventh and two in the eighth for the victory over Calwell (1-1).

"It's an amazing feeling to look up in the crowd and see the Newfoundland flags, and seeing the people from your province rooting for you and cheering their little hearts out," said Smith. "It's an amazing feeling, it really is.

"I tried to feed off the crowd," said Smith, who improved to 1-1 in round-robin play. "I was a little hungry. I only had a muffin and a coffee today, so I had to feed off something."

In other men's action on Saturday evening, Prince Edward Island's Tyler Smith improved to 1-1 with a 12-9 win over Yukon's Joe Wallingham (0-2). Alberta's Karsten Sturmay (2-0) scored deuces in three separate ends for a 6-4 win over New Brunswick's Rene Comeau (1-1). And Saskatchewan's Jacob Hersikorn beat Northern Ontario's Tanner Horgan (0-1) 8-6 to improve to 2-0.

On the women's side, British Columbia's Corryn Brown improved to 2-0 with an 8-6 victory over Nova Scotia's Mary Fay (1-1). Brown, the 2013 champion, stole three in the second to gain an early 5-0 lead.

P.E.I.'s Veronica Smith (1-1) beat Newfoundland's Sarah Hill (0-2) 10-8 after losing earlier in the day. Defending world junior champion Kelsey Rocque (2-0) of Alberta slipped past Manitoba's Beth Peterson (1-1) 5-4 in an extra end. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan's Kristen Streifel (2-0) scored twice in the 10th to down New Brunswick's Justine Comeau (0-1) 8-6.

Round-robin play will continue Sunday.