Gushue Opens Final Brier with 10-2 Win Over Quebec

St. John's, N.L. - Brad Gushue began his final appearance at the Canadian men's curling championship with a 10-2 victory over Quebec's Jean-Michel Ménard on Friday night, delighting a packed crowd at the Mary Brown's Centre during the opening draw of the 2026 Montanas Brier.

The 45-year-old skip from St. John's, competing in his hometown for the first time since winning the 2017 national title, stole the show in a game that highlighted his team's experience. Gushue's squad, featuring third Mark Nichols, second Brendan Bottcher, lead Geoff Walker and alternate Adam Casey, scored two in the first end and one in the third before Ménard, a former Brier champion, tied the score at 3-3 with a single in the sixth. Gushue then pulled away with four points each in the seventh and eighth ends to secure the win.

The emotional weight of the event was evident from the start, as fans cheered Gushue's every move, prompting a standing ovation that left him teary-eyed. "I actually got a little teary-eyed there when it kept going," Gushue said. "To see that, and to feel it and hear it, definitely got the jitters going." He emphasized the need for composure amid the hype, noting past experiences...