In the opening match of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, experienced skip Kaitlyn Lawes of Manitoba outplayed newcomer Taylor Reese-Hansen of British Columbia, securing a 10-4 victory. The game highlighted the contrast between veteran prowess and youthful promise at the Canadian women's curling championship. Lawes, a two-time Olympic champion, took control early and never looked back.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts kicked off on Friday night in Mississauga at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre, drawing a crowd of 2,949 spectators. The feature matchup pitted Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes against British Columbia's Taylor Reese-Hansen, marking the young skip's debut at the national level. Reese-Hansen, currently third in the national rankings after a strong season, entered with high expectations but faced a steep challenge from the seasoned Lawes rink.
Lawes wasted no time asserting dominance, stealing three points in the first end and another in the second to build a quick lead. Reese-Hansen responded with two points in the third end after Lawes missed a double takeout, but the momentum shifted back as the teams traded singles. Lawes extended her advantage with two more in the sixth end and sealed the win with a three-ender in the eighth.
Post-match, Lawes reflected on her team's approach: “I thought we were very patient and took advantage of the opportunities when we had them.” Reese-Hansen, despite the loss, embraced the experience. “I definitely felt the jitters this morning in practice and then again today for sure,” she said. “It’s a dream come true to be here, though. So really cool.” She likened the atmosphere to “Friday Night Lights” and added, “It’s important to care. Nerves just mean that you care and that’s great. This is so exciting.”
The tournament features 18 teams split into two pools of nine, with the top three from each advancing to playoffs. The champion will represent Canada at the world women's curling championship in Calgary from March 14-22. Notably, defending champion Rachel Homan is absent, preparing for the Olympics, while Kerri Einarson now wears Canada's colors after her 13-4 win over Yukon's Bayly Scoffin in another opener.
