LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — After a perfect round-robin at the Tim Hortons Brier, Brad Gushue's side dropped a 4-3 decision to Canada's Brendan Bottcher in Friday's playoff seeding game after vice Mark Nichols withdrew from the event due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Gushue, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker played as a three-man unit and fell into Saturday's 3-4 Page playoff with the loss.
The developments left the St. John's-based team with an uphill battle to win a fourth national title in six years. Already fatigued after recently winning Olympic bronze in Beijing, they'll need to win three straight games - while short-handed - to raise the tankard.
"We've done everything we can in the last few months to avoid this," Gushue said. "We're one of the only teams here that were wearing the masks and doing all this stuff and we get caught in the playoffs when we were playing great.
"It's a gut-punch on top of a kick in the groin."
The team confirmed the lineup change shortly before the evening draw at the Enmax Centre.
"Despite taking the necessary precautions, Mark Nichols unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19 today," the team said in a statement. "Mark is experiencing mild symptoms and is currently isolating.
"Due to event protocols, Mark will no longer be able to compete in the Tim Hortons Brier."
Prior to his withdrawal, Nichols led all thirds with a shooting percentage of 88 per cent. He helped the Wild Card One entry go 8-0 to take the first seed in Pool B.
The loss to Bottcher sent Gushue to Saturday's 3-4 Page playoff game against Saskatchewan's Colton Flasch. The winner will advance to Sunday's semifinal.
Gushue said throughout the week that his team was tired after criss-crossing the globe over the last couple months.
The players held an extended training camp in British Columbia in January before flying to China last month. After the Games, it was a long travel day back to Canada for a brief stay at home before travelling again to Lethbridge.
Their task over the final weekend will be even more taxing as a three-man crew.
"This didn't help," Gushue said, his voice trailing off. "Yeah (we'll) go out and play a good game tomorrow and see what happens."
Alberta recently lifted many COVID-19 restrictions and there is no capacity limit at the 5,900-seat venue. Most spectators do not wear masks in the building.
The scene is much different than the hard bubble the Gushue team experienced in Beijing, where few spectators were in attendance and almost everyone in the city wore N95 masks indoors and outdoors.
"It's a complete contrast," Gushue said. "We're expected not to test positive here but yet the world is OK with it. But we didn't go to restaurants, we haven't been to the (nearby) Patch (party venue) at all. We've done all the right things this week.
"I don't know how it happened. We don't know how and it really doesn't matter how it happened at this point. It's happened and we were just going so good. It sucks."
Three-player teams are rare at major events but do happen on occasion due to absence or injury.
Gushue's team, which does not include an alternate player, used one sweeper on most throws against Bottcher. On some occasions the thrower would hustle down the ice after releasing the rock to help sweep.
"It's tough to play a whole game with three guys because Brett and Geoff had to switch sides and go to their weak side," Gushue said. "Judging becomes an issue. Obviously Geoff is throwing different shots than he's normally going to throw and same with Brett, so it's a huge challenge."
All curlers at the 18-team national men's championship had to be fully vaccinated in order to participate. They also had to produce negative COVID-19 tests before departure for Lethbridge and upon arrival.
Players could request an additional test from the federation at any time if desired, a Curling Canada spokesman said.
Four competitors — all from different teams — tested positive on their pre-departure PCR tests and did not travel to the event for the opening weekend.
Fans do not have to show a vaccine passport and masking is recommended but not required. Friday night's draw was a near-sellout.
Curlers have not been wearing masks during game action. The athletes are often in close proximity to each other during play and while they have been asked by the federation to wear masks in the backstage area, it has not been enforced.
Players were also told that it was "highly recommended" they keep "social interactions to an absolute minimum" during the competition, a Curling Canada spokesman said in an email.
However, some curlers have been frequenting the Patch without masks on and been out socializing throughout the week.
Bottcher sealed his victory with a draw for one point in the 10th end.
"Playing with three players at the Brier against the defending champion, to go to last rock I think we did pretty good," Gushue said.
Rather than traditional handshakes, Bottcher's side raised their brooms and waved at the three-man crew after the victory. Unlike other players, Gushue wore an N95 mask when he spoke to reporters afterwards.
Competition continues through Sunday evening.
Curling Canada used a spectator-free bubble setup in Calgary for last year's edition of the Brier. Bottcher defeated Kevin Koe in the final.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2022.
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Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
