Taylour Stevens of Nova Scotia secured the final playoff berth at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts with a thrilling 9-7 victory over Ontario's Hailey Armstrong. The rookie skip nailed a game-winning in-off shot in the 10th end to overcome a late deficit. This marks the first time two Nova Scotia teams have advanced to the playoffs in the event's history.
At the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario, the afternoon session on January 29, 2026, culminated in high drama as Nova Scotia's Team Taylour Stevens battled Ontario's Team Hailey Armstrong for the last spot in Pool A's playoffs. With five playoff positions already decided, a crowd of 2,291 watched intently as the winner-take-all matchup unfolded.
The game remained tight until the seventh end, where Armstrong's around-the-horn attempt only removed one Nova Scotia stone. Stevens responded with a soft hit to score four points, grabbing a 6-2 lead. Ontario clawed back with two in the eighth end, then stunned the crowd in the ninth when Stevens' attempted nose hit for multiple points jammed low, removing two of her own stones and allowing Armstrong a steal of three for a 7-6 advantage. "I was kind of shell-shocked for a minute there," Armstrong said. "I just looked around and counted them again and again. I didn't believe that was actually happening because she hadn't made any mistakes all game."
In the decisive 10th end, Armstrong placed a guard with her final rock, forcing Stevens into a challenging in-off shot. Nova Scotia's sweepers held the line perfectly, and the stone ricocheted to remove the Ontario rock near the button, securing three points for the 9-7 win. "We just knew we needed to get our two and that shot was insane," Stevens said. "I'm still shaking." Armstrong praised her opponents: "Their pencils were definitely sharpened today."
Stevens, 25, along with third Maria Fitzgerald, second Alison Umlah, and lead Cate Fitzgerald—who lack prior Scotties experience—finish the round-robin at 6-2. This victory joins them with Pool A qualifiers Canada's Kerri Einarson (7-1 after a 9-8 win over British Columbia's Taylor Reese-Hansen) and Manitoba's Kaitlyn Lawes (8-0 after 9-4 over Saskatchewan's Jolene Campbell). From Pool B, Manitoba's Beth Peterson (7-0), Alberta's Selena Sturmay (6-1), and Nova Scotia's Christina Black (6-1) advanced.
In the morning draw, Peterson defeated Nunavut's Julia Weagle 10-4, while Sturmay scored seven in the 10th for a 12-6 win over New Brunswick's Melodie Forsythe. Alberta's Kayla Skrlik beat Newfoundland and Labrador's Mackenzie Mitchell 10-4, and Northern Ontario's Krista Scharf topped Prince Edward Island's Amanda Power 6-4.
Playoffs begin Friday, with the final on Sunday. The champion will represent Canada at the world women's curling championship in Calgary in March. Two-time defending champion Rachel Homan is absent, preparing for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
