Mouat downs Edin to successfully defend Players’ Championship men’s title

TORONTO — It was not rather deja vu for Group Bruce Mouat in the Princess Auto Players’ Championship.

Absolutely sure, the Scottish squad posted a great record after again to properly defend the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling main title — capped with an 8-3 rout more than Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin in Sunday’s final — but previous year’s party was held in the Calgary bubble with out any fans in the stands.

With the celebration returning to its additional familiar home of the Mattamy Athletic Centre, this historic venue earlier recognised as Maple Leaf Gardens, Staff Mouat’s loved ones and friends packed the Pinty’s Pub at ice degree producing an electric powered environment cheering, chanting and waving Scottish flags.

“We just cannot thank them enough for travelling out and paying some time with us,” Mouat said. “Even while we didn’t definitely see them that significantly, they just experienced to view us curl, it was terrific. Just to have the supporters again in the stands and you listen to cheering for superior photographs, so it is definitely good to have that environment back again at the Slams. 

“You have obtained your loved ones and close friends viewing suitable powering your sheet, so you are normally hoping to do properly for them, make them very pleased and I consider we’ve performed a actually very good task this 7 days.”

The staff of Mouat, third Grant Hardie, second Bobby Lammie and lead Hammy McMillan Jr., collected $35,000 from the $350,000 mixed prize purse by successful their fifth Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling men’s title collectively as well as a bonus $50,000 for finishing initially general in the Pinty’s Cup standings.

“This arena’s very distinctive,” Mouat mentioned. “To be here in 2018 and 2019, we had a truly feel for what it could be and to at last get back again listed here and to engage in so very well and gain is extremely meaningful to us and we’re of course still buzzing to get yet another Grand Slam title.”

Group Mouat have been on a tear on the tour as the Princess Car Players’ Championship was their fifth consecutive Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling men’s ultimate. Mouat captured the Champions Cup in the Calgary bubble as very well, and the group picked up where they remaining off setting up this period successful the Masters in October. The title streak arrived to an end in November ending runners-up to Group Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L.

“I know the boys and myself coach so tricky to get to this amount and establish we’re correct up at the best of the standings,” Mouat said. “With two titles out of the 3 this calendar year, it seriously is a very specific achievement. 

“It would have been nice to get 5 in a row and equal Kevin (Martin’s record) but perhaps some other time.”

The reigning Olympic and earth champions Edin, third Oskar Eriksson and next Rasmus Wranå performed as just a trio all 7 days as direct Christoffer Sundgren was out of the lineup owing to a lessen-physique damage.

Even with actively playing brief-handed, Group Edin also entered the final with an unblemished report.

Even though it was a rematch from the Beijing Wintertime Games gold medal sport, it was no repeat. The Olympic silver medallist Mouat jumped out of the gate scoring a few factors in the initially and thieving two factors in the next when Edin wrecked on a guard.

The 5- stranglehold was as well considerably to defeat. After recovering with a attract for a deuce in the 3rd close and forcing Mouat to a solitary in the fourth, Edin’s draw in the fifth close was off the line and led to another double steal.

With the video game out of access, Edin gained design factors undertaking a spin-a-rama on his last shot in the sixth close for a one and then conceded.

“They’ve definitely played great all time to acquire the Olympics and the worlds,” Mouat explained. “In my opinion, a person of the finest teams which is ever curled with each other, so quite impressed and very pleased with how we managed that game.

“Certainly, with the Olympics looming just about two months in the past now, I actually required to get that gain, so truly happy we ended up capable to attain that and to get the Pinty’s Cup as effectively.”

The Princess Automobile Players’ Championship was the third celebration of the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling period that includes 16 of the best men’s teams and 16 of the prime women’s crew from close to the environment.

Earlier Sunday, Sweden’s Staff Anna Hasselborg took two for the gain in the eighth finish to edge Group Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Person., 6-5 in the women’s final. Hasselborg turned the first women’s staff to acquire all 4 majors in the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling sequence.

UP Following

The 2021-22 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling year concludes with the KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup, May possibly 3-8, at the Olds Sportsplex in Olds, Alta.