Brad Gushue of St. John's, N.L., opened his last Montana's Brier with a 10-2 win against Quebec's Jean-Michel Ménard on Friday night. The 45-year-old six-time national champion received a warm reception in his hometown. Other opening matches saw Canada's Brad Jacobs defeat Prince Edward Island 8-3.
The 2026 Montana's Brier kicked off in St. John's, N.L., with Brad Gushue securing a decisive victory in his final appearance at the Canadian men's curling championship. Gushue, who plans to retire at the end of the season, started strong by scoring two points in the first end and one in the third. Quebec's Jean-Michel Ménard, a former Brier champion and world silver medallist, responded by tying the game with a single point in the sixth end. Gushue then pulled away, scoring four points each in the seventh and eighth ends to end the match early.
Gushue, a world champion and Olympic gold and bronze medallist, spoke about the emotional weight of the event. "I actually got a little teary-eyed there when it kept going," he said of the crowd's applause. "To see that, and to feel it and hear it, definitely got the jitters going." He emphasized the need for composure: "You want to make sure you have that motivation and embrace the crowd, but you also have to stay at a good level."
In another key matchup, Brad Jacobs of Canada, who recently won Olympic gold in Milan Cortina, overcame an early deficit to beat Prince Edward Island's Tyler Smith 8-3. Jacobs' team scored two in the second end and added singles in the fourth, fifth, and sixth before three in the seventh. "There’s nowhere else you will hear a louder crowd than here," Jacobs noted, appreciating the St. John's support.
Additional results included Ontario's Jayden King topping Nova Scotia's Kendal Thompson 11-4, and Newfoundland and Labrador's Nathan Young defeating Nunavut's Derek Samagalski 8-4. Action resumes Saturday with afternoon and evening draws.
