KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Saskatchewan's Pat Simmons and Alberta's Kevin Martin are one step closer to a playoff spot at the Strauss Canada Cup in Kamloops.
Simmons defeated Manitoba's Mike McEwen and Martin edged Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg in tiebreakers Friday night to advance to the final tiebreaker on Saturday. The winner of that game will face Glenn Howard in the 3-4 Page Playoff Game.
Simmons and Stoughton each had an opportunity to claim the final playoff spot in Friday's round-robin finale, but Simmons dropped a 10-5 decision to four-time world champion Randy Ferbey, and Stoughton lost a 7-6 nailbiter to Martin.
Koe will face 2006 Olympic champion Brad Gushue in Saturday's 1-vs.-2 game. Gushue and Howard finished with identical 4-1 records in Pool B, but Gushue clinched top spot by beating Howard 6-5 earlier Friday.
In women's action, Cheryl Bernard (5-0) and Stefanie Lawton (4-1) advanced to the 1-vs.-2 Page playoff game with Draw 9 victories. Bernard beat Heather Rankin 9-6, while Lawton downed Shannon Kleibrink 8-6.
Canadian champion Jennifer Jones (4-1) will face 2007 national champ Kelly Scott (4-1) in the 3-vs.-4 game.