On the 2022 Nufloors Penticton Curling Classic
Shoostie shot The Sheriff...
Ok, he didn’t actually. Matt Dunstone is still alive and well, but perhaps the wound is getting a little deeper with their third finals loss of the season. The 6th annual Penticton classic, a “unicorn event” as Matt Hamilton described it, has come and gone, and is slowly emerging as a highlight of the calendar for fans and curlers alike. The treatment of the players is something that nearly every team raved about, from the massage therapy to the free meals to the $200 a win to the applause every time the teams walked in the door from their games, the event is a jewel in the curling world and having played in it a few times and now broadcasted it twice, a highlight for me too. It was a long, 5-day weekend, and after calling 14 games, here’s what I saw in Penticton:
(photo: Mark Brett/Penticton Herald)
John Shuster: I was surprised when doing my research this week to learn that John Shuster’s rink hasn’t won a non-U.S. National Championship/Olympic Trials bonspiel since 2019. It feels like a long time for one of the top teams in the world, but it was their consistency that shone this weekend, particularly on Championship Monday and particularly at the back end, where Chris Plys had draw weight cinched to his hip and John Shuster made his oft-colourful explanations of the strategy on his shots come to beautiful fruition. John noted post-game the addition of Colin Hufman and the return of John Landsteiner gave the team a boost, and you can’t argue with coming all the way through the tiebreakers and knocking off Colton Flasch, Kevin Koe, and Matt Dunstone to get the W. It’s better for all of us when the Americans have two top teams, and Shuster proved once again he’s not going to roll over and let the Young Bucks take his spot.
Matt Dunstone: If John Shuster’s path to the final was tough, Matt Dunstone’s was a journey worthy of a cinematic experience, taking out World #3 Brendan Bottcher, curling legend Glenn Howard, and World #1 Niklas Edin, who he also snapped the 19-game winning streak of. He was a bit unlucky not to have a better result here as he had a shot for the win, but 3 finals including the PointsBet, a Slam, and this de facto Slam is an impressive start for the new team. One thing that really stuck out: more than any of the other top teams, it seemed the Sheriff was struggling with the ice, which was playing a bit tricky, and he audibly shared his woes on stream early in the tournament. However, as the weekend went on, it was clear Matt had dug in mentally and began to become a lot more at peace with the ice surface, and started winning games, including a six-game winning streak on the way to the final. It’s fair to say this is Dunstone’s strongest rink from top-to-bottom that he’s ever had, and that mental toughness will go a long way to helping them realize their potential.
Niklas Edin: What’s left to say anymore? They felt unbeatable, without Nik, until they weren’t. And even then, Oskar Eriksson gave us a viral moment for the ages, a helicopter spin that was an inch away from being one of the best final stones in an end we’ve ever seen. When you’ve left the curlers at the event in awe on a shot you missed, well. That says it all.
Jacques Gauthier: One of the best things about the Penticton event is how many BC teams play in it each year, and normally, at least one of them has a strong week and a playoff appearance. Last year it was Sebastien Robillard and this year, Jacques Gauthier and his youthful squad fit the bill with a trip to the semis. With the departure of Tyler Tardi and the continued easing of schedule from Jim Cotter, BC has felt wide open to start the season. The Islanders drew first blood, making three qualifiers in Okotoks with Gauthier stumbling out of the starting blocks, but JG and the fellas have really turned it around with back-to-back semi-final finishes. Starting the year, they looked like the strongest BC squad on paper, and speaking with Jacques at the event, it’s clear the team just needed a little time to gel and perhaps now the ink is getting a little darker on that page. Picking up 50 points in two weekends is a good way to let everyone else know you’ve arrived.
Karsten Sturmay: Beneficiaries of one of the craziest bits of luck I’ve seen in some time in the Round of 12 against Brent Pierce (one that led me to give Jared Kolomaya an F-Bomb for free on the broadcast), they were still full value for their QF finish. Particularly impressive to me was Kyle Doering effortlessly sliding to third in the absence of JD Lind, and the sweeping duo of Glenn Venance and Kurtis Goller up front, one of the more underrated duos who helped make a lot of shots for Karsten over the course of the weekend. Karsten’s always had the big shot and big game ability, but now he’s starting to gain the most important thing a skip at this level can: consistency. This team is inching towards Tier 1 status.
Glenn Howard: After starting 5-0 in the round robin, it looked like it might be a repeat of last season, where a lower-ranked-than-we’re-used-to Howard got hot at this event he loves and went deep (he’s even sponsored by Nufloors Penticton despite living roughly 3500 km away from there), but the wheels fell off in a really rough second half against Dunstone. They’re still a great team, Glenn is an obvious legend, but I do wonder if they turn to Scott throwing last at some point this season. Glenn’s injuries and mileage appear to be catching up as listening in on the broadcast I noted a few times he tried not to throw peel if he didn’t have to, and Scott proved he had the juice last season at Ontario provincials. Not saying it will or even should happen, but they’ve had a tough season and you wonder if they’ll wanna mix things up a bit, even just to try it.
Kevin Koe: Their game against Colton Flasch on Friday night might have been the game of the weekend, with Kevin’s ridiculous shotmaking and Brad Thiessen’s biceps on full display in what was a rollercoaster affair. I just like this team, and probably more than I thought when it was initially announced. Brad is easily in the conversation for the world’s top sweeper (with Karrick not far behind), Tyler’s making shots, and the vibes feel good. They don’t have their signature win yet, but it feels like it’s coming.
Daniel Casper: The Ghostman himself was not in the building this weekend, which led to Chase Sinnett taking over skipping duties and it was an impressive run for the U-25 U.S. team. Remember that thing I said about how curling is better when the Americans have two good teams? You might already be able to say it’s 3, as this is a poised young squad that’s been in the USDP for a long time now and it’s paying dividends.
Brent Pierce: Do yourself a favour and go watch the 8th end they had in the Round of 12 against Sturmay. It was a great lesson in how to (potentially) generate an unorthodox 3 and while it didn’t come off after that bang-bang luck of Sturmay’s miss, this team looks good—better than they did last year when they won BC provincials after only 4 games together. For me, knowing all these players so well being a BC guy myself, I think it’s two things:
1) Nick Meister and Jared Kolomaya are the type of prototypical front end you win with: smart, total gamers, good sweepers, and Nick can draw anywhere and Jared can hit anything. They both sweep cross-handed, which is funny to watch because you think “maybe just…switch sides?”, but they’re good at it so hey, get after it.
2) Jeff Richard is the best possible third for Brent. Everyone on tour knows Brent is a fiery guy. It’s part of what has made him so good for so long, but it can be tough at times and Jeff’s ability to remain passive in the pocket with Piercey is what carries this team. Also doesn’t hurt that he’s a pure shotmaker with every tool in his bag.
Brendan Bottcher: After that dominant start in Okotoks it looked like all systems go for this squad, but they’ve hit a few speed bumps and it looks to me like it’s the communication piece—which looked strong back in September—that is still in the refinement phase. There were no time clocks in Penticton but if there were, they would’ve been straining at the seams trying to contain the Bottch Dawg’s convos. They’re still #3 in the world, they’re still an insanely good squad, I just imagine that’s the part for them they want to see come together and the results will follow.
Colton Flasch: One of the highlights of the weekend for me was Team Flasch third Catlin Schneider joining me on commentary for the Saturday night game between Brendan Bottcher and Kyler Kleibrink. He originally said he could join me for an end or two, but it turned into the entire game as it almost felt like a podcast: talking about old curling memories, giving great insight into the ice in Penticton and the strategy on offer (well, Catlin did that part), and just enjoying our great game. I know that knowing the results can sometimes make sports games tough to go back and rewatch, but that one has earned it, I think. As for the team, it’s really just about consistency. When this team is rolling, you watch them and feel like they are as good as anyone, but they just have a few more blips than those top teams over the course of a game or an event. Once those are patched up, the sky is the limit. They communicate well, everyone’s a shotmaker, and they clearly have great chemistry off the ice too.
Kyler Kleibrink: I joked on Twitter after Korey Dropkin beat Brad Gushue at the PanCon that the “K” in his name stood for “Brad Gushue’s Kryptonite” (an obvious exaggeration since Brad beats him more often than not, but was a nod to his wins at the PCCC and last year’s Worlds). Perhaps that tweet would be more suited to Kyler Kleibrink (one more K than Korey Dropkin) and Brendan Bottcher, as he gave Bottcher all he could handle in Okotoks and then came into Penticton with a new third and dominated Bottcher in a must-win game. Kyler is young but so clearly suited for skipping and is a curler I hear more about from other players as a potential future star than almost anyone. It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle in Alberta but making the playoffs in an event like this one (he won a tough tiebreaker over Mark Kean, too) has gotta feel good.
The Best of the Rest: Something isn’t quite right yet with Mike McEwen’s rink. They’re making shots at points, but at others, it looks like the game is coming really tough for them right now. Still lots of time left in the season but starting 0-3 and being out of the playoffs on Day 2 isn’t what we’d expect from a squad this strong…Rylan Kleiter was a little unlucky not to qualify, winning the games he needed to but coming up short in a seesaw battle with Pierce in the tiebreak. Colton Flasch is clearly at the top in Saskatchewan but in the grouping of the next five teams or so that could be in a Tankard Final with Flasch, Kleiter could be strongest…Speaking of Tankards, Ontario’s feels as open as it’s been in recent memory, and Mark Kean should be right there when playoff time rolls around. Mark’s got all the shots, Wes Forget brings a veteran chill to the team, and Cameron Goodkey still has room to grow at the 3-hole…Tanner Horgan played as a 3-man unit without Colin Hodgson or Darren Moulding this weekend and looked good early but burned out. Joey Hart’s already been called on a few times this season so we’ll see where they go from here…Hayato Sato won the BC Juniors just 3 years ago, but is now playing with a young Japanese squad and things seem to be working. Another well-coached team from an Asian country? You don’t say…It’s been pretty much a dream start to the season for the now #8-ranked Reid Carruthers, but some weekends you just don’t have it, and in Penticton, they didn’t. Reid did wear a toque for a few games though, which I thought was a nice change of pace.
Follow me on Twitter at @cullenoncurling for more curling takes and subscribe to the newsletter by hitting the button up top and you’ll get it in your inbox whenever I write one. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you back here in a few weeks for the Brantford Nissan Classic rundown (or maybe before then, if I got something cool to say).
Great read, John. Any ideas on why McEwen rink is having a difficult go so far?