Northwest Territories’ Jamie Koe upset defending champion Brad Gushue 7-5 at the Canadian men’s curling championship.
Koe, who has skipped a territories team to the playoffs once in 16 previous Brier appearances, improved to 3-1 and dropped Gushue to 2-2 in Pool B.
Gushue is attempting to win a third straight national title and the sixth of his career.
Prince Edward Island’s Tyler Smith was 2-1 after a 10-3 victory over Nunavut’s Shane Latimer (0-3).
Four-time champion Kevin Koe of Alberta (1-3) continued to struggle in a 11-6 loss to Quebec’s Julien Tremblay (2-2).
Nova Scotia’s Matthew Manuel (1-3) won his first game of the tournament with a 6-2 defeat of Alberta’s Aaron Sluchinski (2-1).
The top three teams in each pool of nine when pool play concludes Thursday advance to Friday’s six-team playoff, from which Saturday’s four Page playoff teams will emerge.
Sunday’s winner represents Canada at the world championship in Switzerland later this month.
