THUNDER BAY – Al Hackner may be 66, but he’s still as wily as ever on a curling sheet.
The former world champion on Wednesday night put to good use that experience in the eighth and final end against Mike McCarville, stealing a deuce for the win after tying their opening match of the Tbaytel Major League of Curling season 6-6 in the seventh.
McCarville had a chance, but his final stone crashed on a guard out front.
Hackner was playing with lead Gary Champagne, second Brian Adams Sr. And third Jonah Dupuis, while McCarville’s team included Jordan Potter, Zack Warkentin and Travis Potter.
Hackner is now one of five teams in the Tbaytel Major League of Curling sporting a 1-0 record, while McCarville is one of seven teams at 0-1.
In other action, defending champion Dylan Johnston improved to 2-0 with a 9-3 win over Mike Pozihun. Krista McCarville downed Britney Malette 9-1 in five ends, evening her record at 1-1 after an extra-end loss to Mike Desilets last week.
In the only other contest of the night at the Kakabeka Curling Club, Bryan Burgess knocked off Jonathon Vellinga 6-5, holding his opponent to a single in the eighth in the season-opener for both squads.
The action returns to the Port Arthur Curling Club next Wednesday. The action begins at 6:30 p.m.
