Winnipeg skip Jeff Stoughton handed first loss at Canada Cup curling competition
MOOSE JAW, - John Epping scored two in the final end to edge Jeff Stoughton 8-7 on Friday, handing the Winnipeg skip his first loss at the Capital One Canada Cup curling competition.
Epping, from Peterborough, Ont., improved to 2-3 with the victory while Stoughton fell to 4-1.
The result left Mike McEwen (4-0) alone in first place in the men's standings. McEwen was scheduled to play Kevin Koe of Calgary in the afternoon draw at Mosaic Place.
World champion Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ont., needed an extra end to beat Olympic champion Kevin Martin of Edmonton 7-6. Howard improved to 3-2 while Martin, the defending champion, fell to 1-4.
In women's play, Saskatoon's Stefanie Lawton remained unbeaten at 5-0 after an 8-4 victory over Calgary's Crystal Webster (2-3).
Team Jennifer Jones improved to 3-2 with a 9-8 win over Sherry Middaugh (2-3) of Coldwater, Ont., in the other early game. Kaitlyn Lawes is handling skip duties for the Winnipeg rink since Jones gave birth to a baby girl two weeks ago and is also recovering from knee surgery.
The winner of both the men's and women's tournaments will receive one of the six automatic qualification spots for the 2013 Roar of the Rings — the tournament that will determine who advances to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
