Brad Jacobs' team secured an 8-3 win over Tyler Smith's rink from Prince Edward Island on the opening night of the Montana’s Brier in St. John’s, N.L. The defending champions turned the game around with a series of steals after a close start. Jacobs' squad played short-handed due to an illness but still dominated the later ends.
The Montana’s Brier kicked off on Friday night with Brad Jacobs' rink, fresh from an Olympic gold medal win in Italy, delivering a strong performance as defending champions. Facing Tyler Smith's team from Prince Edward Island, the game began evenly, with both sides scoring two points in the first two ends. Smith blanked the third end, but Jacobs stole one in the fourth to take a slim lead.
Momentum shifted decisively in Jacobs' favor as they added single-point steals in the fifth and sixth ends. The seventh end proved pivotal, with Jacobs stealing three points to build an 8-2 advantage. Smith responded with a single in the eighth end, but the match concluded at 8-3.
Both teams competed with only three players: Jacobs' lead Ben Hebert sat out due to illness, while Smith's rink was similarly short-staffed. The Jacobs lineup featured third Marc Kennedy and second Brett Gallant alongside the skip.
Looking ahead, Jacobs' team will face Kelly Knapp's Saskatchewan rink in the evening draw on Saturday. Meanwhile, Matt Dunstone's Manitoba-based team, which includes local brothers E.J. and Ryan Harnden and lost to Jacobs in last year's final, opens against James Grattan of New Brunswick in the afternoon.
The 18-team tournament divides participants into two pools, with the top three from each advancing to playoffs. The overall winner will represent Canada at the World Men’s Curling Championship in Ogden, Utah, at the end of March. Playoff matchups include cross-pool games between first- and second-place teams, with losers facing third-place sides for remaining spots.
