HALIFAX — The Calgary rink skipped by Brad Jacobs beat Matt Dunstone’s Winnipeg team 9-8 in a high-scoring, back-and-forth men’s Canadian Curling Trials final opener on Friday night.
Dunstone trailed early but came back with a four-ender in the fifth end. He gave up a deuce in the sixth but drew for two in the ninth for an 8-7 lead.
Jacobs didn’t have to throw his final rock after Dunstone stunningly flashed a hit-and-roll attempt in the 10th end.
“I still don’t know if we won that game, that’s kind of what it feels like,” Jacobs said. “But we did.”
The men will play Game 2 on Saturday night and Game 3 - if needed - on Sunday evening.
Jacobs won Olympic gold in 2014 at the Sochi Games with a team that included Dunstone’s current front end of Ryan Harnden and E.J. Harnden. Dunstone and vice Colton Lott are playing in their first Trials final.
Jacobs vice Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert won Olympic gold in 2010 on a team skipped by Kevin Martin. Kennedy and Hebert returned to the Games in 2018 with skip Kevin Koe.
Brett Gallant, who throws second for Jacobs, earned bronze at the Beijing Games on a team skipped by Brad Gushue.
The winning teams this weekend will wear the Maple Leaf at the Milan Cortina Games in February. Gallant has already qualified in mixed doubles with Jocelyn Peterman.
