PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — With just one day of round robin action remaining, the playoff picture at the 2008 Canadian senior curling championships is finally starting to take shape.
On the men's side, Saskatchewan's Eugene Hritzuk held on to his grasp of first place after edging P.E.I. 7-6 with a draw to the button with his final stone.
Earlier in the day however, against Nova Scotia's Brian Rafuse, Hritzuk failed to make the same shot and suffered his first loss.
"It's a pleasure to be able to draw to the button with your last rock for the win," said Hritzuk. "In the morning game I had to throw a middle weight shot and I miscued, but to come back and win with your last rock is great.
"Tied up coming home with last rock at any time is as good as you want," added Hritzuk.
Manitoba's Vic Peters helped his chances with a 10-5 over B.C.'s Ken McHargue.
Sitting at 8-2, Peters holds his own fate. A win over Rafuse Friday would seal a playoff birth.
"We definitely wanted to be in a position to try and qualify without having to go to tiebreakers," said Peters. "That's all you can ask for. You don't have to count on somebody else, because if you are going to blow it you'd like to blow it yourself."
New Brunswick's Russ Howard was also at 8-2 after a 9-4 win over Ontario's Bruce Delaney in Thursday's late draw.
Along with Rafuse (7-2), Delaney (6-3) and B.C.'s Ken McHargue (6-3) sit in a group looking to grab the final playoff spot.
On the women's side, Saskatchewan's Delores Syrota pulled on a beautiful double take-out with her final rock to for a 5-3 victory over P.E.I. to stay in playoff contention.
"We had to make sure we took a least one out for at least a extra end but it finished up nice and pick the back one out to," said Syrota of the final shot.
The win moved her to 6-4 and while they are still alive they will need some help to move on as four teams remain ahead of them in the standings.
B.C.'s Pat Saunders (9-0) continues to lead the way as she dusted on Manitoba's Jean Garbolinsky 9-1 in just six ends.
On her heels is Alberta (7-2) and Ontario (6-3) and Newfoundland and Labrador (6-4), who were all winners in Thursday's late draw.
Alberta beat Northern Ontario 5-3, Ontario defeated New Brunswick 9-7 and Newfoundland edged Quebec 7-6.
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