Nova Scotia-Stevens delivers to secure Scotties playoff spot

Nova Scotia skip Taylour Stevens delivered the shot of her life in her Scotties Tournament of Hearts debut.

Down one in the 10th end against Ontario’s Team Hailey Armstrong (5-3; Whitby), Stevens made a Jennifer Jones-esque in-off to score three for a 9-7 win in the final Pool A round-robin game at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga.

The win clinched third place in Pool A and booked a playoff spot for the rookie Nova Scotia team: Stevens, third/vice-skip Maria Fitzgerald, second Alison Umlah, lead Cate Fitzgerald and coach Kevin Ouellette.

“I’m so proud of the team, and how we stayed calm, and we just knew we needed to get our two, and that shot was insane. I’m still shaking,” Stevens said.

Stevens, who was alternate for Nova Scotia at the 2024 Scotties but didn’t play, has led her team to a 6-2 record. Thursday’s win was the most significant so far for the up-and-coming Bluenoser squad.

Team Stevens joins Manitoba-Lawes (8-0; Winnipeg) and Canada’s Kerri Einarson (7-1; Gimli, Man.), the top two seeds, in the playoffs. Manitoba-Lawes and Canada await their opponents in the Page 1-2 qualifier Friday afternoon, while Nova Scotia has one shot at the final four through the Page 3-4 qualifier Friday evening.

For the first time in Scotties history, two Nova Scotia teams will compete in the playoffs. Team Christina Black (6-1; Halifax) advanced from the opposite pool.

“I’m going to cry again. (Making the playoffs) is so crazy to hear. This was our goal all along, and we’ve accomplished our first goal,” Stevens said. “But we don’t want to let loose or anything. We’re going to play hard in the playoffs.”

But the win nearly slipped away. Nova Scotia took control with four in the seventh, but a thin runback in the ninth handed Ontario a steal of three and a late lead. That set up Stevens’ game-winning heroics.

With a playoff spot on the line, both teams started cautiously, blanking two of the first five ends.

Nova Scotia-Stevens, Manitoba-Lawes, and Canada await Thursday night’s final draw to determine seeding. In the other pool, Nova Scotia-Black, Manitoba’s Team Beth Peterson (7-0; Winnipeg), and Alberta’s Team Selena Sturmay (6-1; Edmonton) have clinched playoff spots.

Meanwhile, Nicky Kaufman of the Northwest Territories (2-6; Yellowknife) beat Quebec’s Team Jolianne Fortin (2-6; Jonquière) 7-5; Manitoba-Lawes handled Saskatchewan’s Team Jolene Campbell (3-5; Regina) 9-4; and Canada’s Team Einarson scored two in the final frame to beat British Columbia’s Team Taylor Reese-Hansen (3-5; Victoria).

The 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts continues Thursday with a draw at 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/.