SAULT STE MARIE, Ont. - Defending champion Glenn Howard put his last stone on the button to score the winning single in the final end of a 5-4 victory over Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs on Thursday in Draw 5 action at the Grand Slam of Curling National.

Howard, from Penetanguishene, Ont., now holds a 3-0 record in the tournament while Jacobs, from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., dropped to 1-2.

Also in Draw 5, Winnipeg's Reid Carruthers (3-0) scored two in the sixth and added a steal of one in the seventh for a 5-2 win over Calgary's Kevin Koe (1-2).

Edmonton's Brendan Bottcher improved to a 3-0 record with a 7-5 victory over Switzerland's Peter de Cruz (0-3). Calgary's John Morris (1-2) stole one in the seventh and three in the eighth for his first victory of the tournament with a 7-3 win over Winnipeg's Mike McEwen (2-1).

Winnipeg's Jeff Stoughton (2-1) grabbed a single in the final end to edge Saskatoon's Steve Laycock (1-2) with a 7-6 win.