Mike McEwen clinches Olympic Trials playoff spot with win over Matt Dunstone

Skip Mike McEwen yells directions from the house during the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials action against Team Dunstone in Halifax on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese) (Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press)

Saskatoon Nutana Rink’s Mike McEwen clinched his playoff spot at the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials with a win over Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone on Wednesday night.

It was a near must-win situation for McEwen and squad, who went down 2-0 in the first end.

The Saskatoon skip responded with a rattle of a three-ball in the second end and then a steal of two in the third to take a 5-2 lead.

Adding another three points in the fifth, McEwen would seal a 9-5 win in just eight ends of play.

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The victory clinched McEwen’s spot in the trials’ playoffs and a chance to be Team Canada for the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

After the loss to McEwen, Dunstone needed a Brad Gushue loss against Brad Jacobs to earn his position. Watching from the tunnel, Dunstone looked on as Gushue attempted a triple takeout for the victory.

Gushue would nose hit the target rock, missing the triple to give Jacobs the win.

Despite finishing the tournament with a win over former Olympian Kevin Koe, fellow Nutana Rink curler Rylan Kleiter ended the week 2-5 – failing to make the playoffs in his first trials appearance.

McEwen and Dunstone will now face off once again against each other in the 2/3 seed semi-final Thursday night.

The winner will take on Team Jacobs in a best-of-three final with the champion earning the right to don the Maple Leaf at the 2026 Olympics.

The draw is scheduled for 5 p.m. SK time on TSN.

Homan to face winner of Einarson and Black

On the women’s side, Rachel Homan lost just one draw all week long.

Taking on Kerri Einarson on Wednesday afternoon, the winner would secure the top seed and a bye to the trials’ final.

Ahead 5-4 in the eighth end, Homan would add an important two-spot to take a 7-4 lead.

Einarson would pull within one in the ninth, but fall short with a single in the 10th to give Homan the 7-6 win.

Einarson will take on Halifax’s Christina Black in front of their home crowd in Thursday’s semi-final.

The winner of the semi will face the Homan Empire in the trials’ final.

The women’s semi-final draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. SK time on TSN.