Canada’s Team Einarson and Manitoba’s Team Lawes to meet in Scotties Page 1-2

Manitoba’s Team Kaitlyn Lawes and Canada’s Team Kerri Einarson are headed for a Saturday night showdown, each just one win away from championship Sunday at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Both teams picked up afternoon wins at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre to book their spots in the Page 1-2 playoff, set for 7 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Canada’s Einarson, third/vice-skip Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard, lead Karlee Burgess, alternate Krysten Karwacki and coach Reid Carruthers, bested Manitoba’s Team Beth Peterson 8-5 to pick up the first available spot in the Page 1-2.

“It’s very important. We’re just taking it one game at a time. And, you know, we’re trending in the right direction, and we’re playing well. So we just got to keep that going forward,” Einarson said.

Both teams reached deep into their bag of tricks to put on a show for the crowd. In the fourth, Canada’s draw attempt for two looked outside. However, a veteran linecall from Sweeting kept the rock straight enough to tick off a guard and redirect to the button for the deuce.

After a couple of singles and a blank, Manitoba-Peterson scored its first deuce of the game with a shot by skip Kelsey Calvert, who was named the Robin Wilson First-Team All-Star skip earlier today, made an upweight double, with the roll pushing back another Canadian stone.

In the ninth, Peterson’s team faced five Canadian counters but managed to salvage a single with a clutch 15-foot runback.

Einarson didn’t need her final stone in the 10th, as Team Peterson’s last shot left Canada sitting two and handed Manitoba its first loss of the week.

“I think we just really capitalized on opportunities. Beth and Kelsey, they made some big ones when the team needed, especially in nine,” Einarson said. “It was a good battle.”

Team Lawes of Winnipeg is also moving on to the Page 1v2 game after an 8-6 victory against Nova Scotia’s Team Christina Black of Halifax.

Tied six apiece in the 10th, Team Lawes played a hit on a pair of frozen stones, leaving the Manitobans with the game-winning deuce. It marks the ninth win — and so far most important — of the week for fourth/vice-skip Lawes, skip/third Selena Njegovan, second Laura Walker, lead Kristin Gordon, alternate Erin Pincott and coach Marcel Rocque.

The final frame was set up by a made double and roll-out blank attempt by Team Lawes, which gave them the hammer in the 10th.

“We figured it was worth the risk even if we didn’t make it,” Lawes said of the blank attempt. “I liked our chances getting a deuce (in the 10th), so I figured it was one of those that it was worth the try. Selena called it perfectly and was very excited that we made that one.”

Einarson and Lawes last met in a Page 1-2 playoff six years ago, when Einarson won her first of four national titles.

“It feels amazing. It’s been a goal of ours ever since the Trials to try and win a Scotties,” Lawes said. “So we’re putting ourselves in a position to have that potential opportunity and I’m super proud of the team for fighting for every rock all week long. It’s going to be fun playing in that 1-2 game.

Manitoba-Peterson and Nova Scotia-Black have one more chance to qualify for the Page playoffs tonight at 7 p.m. in the Page 3v4 qualifier.

In an all-Nova Scotian battle, Team Black faces Team Taylour Stevens, while Team Peterson will face Alberta’s Team Selena Sturmay.

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

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