Koivula evens record at Northern Ontario play-downs; Johnston still winless

Thunder Bay’s Colin Koivula has found the win column at the Northern Ontario men’s curling championship.

Koivula scored one in the 10th end in Wednesday night’s second draw at the North Bay event to score a 5-4 win over Sudbury’s Tanner Horgan, evening his record at 1-1. He earlier lost 7-2 to the Patrick Gelinas rink.

The Koivula team also includes lead Jamie Childs, second Jordan Potts and third Kory Carr.

Thunder Bay skip Dylan Johnston and teammates Travis Showalter, Chris Briand and Mike Badiuk weren’t as fortunate.

Geraldton’s Mike Assad snagged two in the 10th end to pull out an 8-7 win over Johnston, who fell to 0-2 after losing 10-4 to Jordan Chandler in the opening draw.

Assad is one of three curlers at 2-0, joining Chandler and five-time Northern Ontario champion and reigning Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie.

Jacobs doubled Horgan (0-2), a finalist at the recent Canadian Junior Men’s Curling Championship, 8-4 to open the tournament.