BANFF, ALTA. – The clash between Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games gold medallist Brad Jacobs and red-hot Mike McEwen in tonight's Pinty's All-Star Curling Skins Game men's semifinal No. 2 saw Team Jacobs come away with the victory and a trip to the men's final. Jacobs led his Northern Ontario team of Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, and Ryan Harnden to four skins worth $12,500 in front of a sold-out crowd at The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre in beautiful Banff National Park.
You can watch the men's final on Sunday at 8pm et/5pm pt. on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5 and TSN GO.
Team Morris advanced to the final after defeating Team Koe in the men's semifinal #1 held earlier today. The women's final features Team Homan vs. Team Jones tomorrow at 3 p.m. ET on TSN.
With last year's winnings of $9,500, Jacobs' career TSN skins game earnings now total $22,000. McEwen's Manitoba team of B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, and Denni Neufeld – competing in their first ever TSN skins game – will take home $8,500 in winnings.
Draw Summary
Team Jacobs picked up the opening $1,000 skin to hit the board first. Team McEwen quickly answered back, forcing a 2nd end carry-over and then pocketing two back-to-back skins totalling $4,000. Team Jacobs took over control in the 4th and 5th ends, winning two consecutive skins worth $5,000 to boost them to the lead. Team McEwen picked up the $4,500 skin in the 7th end to take back the lead and put the game on the line in the last end. Holding last rock, Jacobs had to draw the four-foot for his pair and, with Ryan Harnden and E.J. Harnden's amazing scrub, they made the shot to win the $6,500 skin and make the men's final.
