Rookie skips earn first wins at 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

With 27 rookies taking to the ice this week at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, plenty of firsts were expected at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont.

Fans did not have to wait long. Two rookie skips earned their first career wins at the position during Friday night’s opening draw.

The host team from Ontario, skipped by Hailey Armstrong of the Whitby Curling Club, opened the tournament with a 9-5 victory over the Northwest Territories’ Team Nicky Kaufman. Ontario scored a deuce in the first end and stole a single in the third on its way to a nine-end win.

The victory marked Armstrong’s first career Scotties win as a skip. She previously competed at the championship as Quebec’s third in 2021 and 2022. Those appearances were held with limited spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We just got our first win at the Scotties,” Armstrong exclaimed. “It’s our first year as a new team, and it’s my girls’ first time at the Scotties. It’s really exciting to get our first win…in a huge opening game. Just to calm those nerves a little bit, it’s nice to get that under our belt because it’s important to have.”

Ontario features a lineup of Scotties rookies, including third/vice-skip Grace Lloyd, second Michaela Robert and lead Rachel Steele. The team has leaned on Armstrong’s prior championship experience, along with alternate Lori Eddy and coach Stephen Robert.

After the final stone, the Ontario team received a loud ovation from the hometown crowd as they slid back to the bench.

“I have goosebumps right now. I might cry. That was really cool. It was really nice to interact with the crowd, hold your broom up, and see all the kids here,” Armstrong said, referring to the many young fans in attendance following U-15 RockFest East, held at the arena the night before. “And it’s really cool to get the full experience and just sign autographs and have just kids look at you like you’re a star.”

Another matchup between rookie skips saw Nova Scotia’s Team Taylour Stevens defeat Quebec’s Team Jolianne Fortin.

Stevens, who curls out of the Halifax Curling Club, rallied her team from a four-point deficit. Nova Scotia scored four in the sixth end to tie the game, then stole three in the ninth to secure a 10-7 win.

“It was a hard game at the beginning, but we knew we just needed to stay in it. At the fifth-end break, our coach gave us a nice little pep talk and said if they can score six in the first five, we can do right back in the last five,” Stevens said.

The win marked the first career Scotties victory for Stevens and her entire lineup: third/vice-skip Maria Fitzgerald, second Alison Umlah, lead Cate Fitzgerald and coach Kevin Ouellette.

Stevens served as Nova Scotia’s alternate at the 2024 Scotties but did not see game action. This year, she leads a team with extensive junior success. All four players won Canadian U-20 national titles together in 2022 and 2024.

“They’re my best friends, and I wouldn’t want to do it with anybody else. To share this experience together and just add another thing to the curling resume is so fun, and hopefully we get to keep on doing it,” Stevens said.

In other opening-draw action, two perennial Scotties contenders also earned wins.

Manitoba’s Team Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg defeated British Columbia’s Team Taylor Reese-Hansen 10-4, while defending champion Team Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man., topped Yukon’s Team Bayly Scoffin 13-4.

The 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts continues Saturday with draws at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/.

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.

For ticket information for the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, go to www.curling.ca/2026cotties/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/2026scotties/nouvelles/.