Sportsnet analysts Kevin Martin and Mike Harris were chatting it up during Saturday afternoon quarter-final action of the Pinty鈥檚 Grad Slam of Curling Elite 10, filling air time while Kevin Koe was discussing shot selection with his third Marc Kennedy and second Brent Laing down on ice level at The Q Centre.
鈥淲hen you鈥檝e got a guy who has been on a roll like Kevin Koe has been, let him throw it wherever he wants,鈥� Harris said, cutting to the chase.
Koe, coming off last week鈥檚 impressive Brier victory over Newfoundand鈥檚 Brad Gushue, had caught fire once again before he was cooled off by Winnipeg鈥檚 Reid Carruthers late Saturday night, losing in a an extra-end draw to the button in the Elite 10 semifinal.
Carruthers advances to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship final against Gushue, who also amazingly advanced on a similar extra-end draw to the button against Saskatchewan鈥檚 Steve Laycock.
After an opening loss here to Laycock back on Thursday, Koe and Co. had rattled off three straight round-robin wins, allowing just one point (or skin) over that stretch, blanking both Brendan Bottcher and Niklas Edin, and surrendering the one to Mike McEwen.
He continued that torrid pace with a third-straight shutout in an easy 4 & 3 win over John Epping in the afternoon quarter-final of the match-play formatted event, requiring just five ends for the victory.
The magic ran out as Carruthers continued his fine week, placing pressure on Koe from the second end on.
Now Koe will take his game, along with Kennedy, Laing and lead Ben Hebert, to the world championship in Basel, Switzerland, starting April 2.
The foursome looked rejuvenated here after that opening loss to Laycock, recording 18 ends of scoring in this unique format, opposed to allowing just the four prior to the semi.
Needless to say, that鈥檚 the zone Koe needs to be in Switzerland.
鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 our best game, but it was a good week overall. We came into this after being home for a day and a half after the Brier. We got in some quality games before we go and now we鈥檒l have nine days before we head out,鈥� said Koe after the tight loss.
The Koe had team curled 93 per cent in the quarter-final; an amazing 98 and 97 per cent, respectively, vs. Bottcher and Edin; and 90 per cent against McEwen, which went seven ends (games are eight ends here). In the round-robin loss they were 85 per cent compared to Laycock's 88.
Still, it came down to two draws to the button to determine Sunday鈥檚 finalists.
鈥淚t鈥檚 funny. Last year we didn鈥檛 have any extra-end draws to the button and for it to come down to two in the semis makes it exciting for everyone. It鈥檚 disappointing for us, but it is what it is,鈥� said Koe, whose run ran out.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure how the week would go after we lost our first. We had to jump right back on the ice against McEwen, but since then we鈥檇 started playing really well. Friday and (Saturday afternoon) we put up three perfect games in a row, so we were pretty happy,鈥� said Koe, who now eyes Switzerland.
As for Gushue, his amazing year continues as he leads the World Curling Tour money list and is looking for his seventh event win of the year.
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