Bottcher tops Sluchinski 7-3 in opening game at Grand Slam of Curling’s Masters

SASKATOON — Brendan Bottcher scored three deuces in a 7-3 victory over Aaron Sluchinski on Tuesday night at the Grand Slam of Curling’s WFG Masters. 

Sluchinski, from Airdrie, Alta., opened the scoring with a pair in the second end. Bottcher, from Calgary, answered with a deuce in the third and stole two points in the fourth. 

After a pair in the sixth end, Canada’s top-ranked men’s team stole a single in the seventh to seal the victory on the opening day of competition.

In other late games, Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., beat Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen 9-5 and Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller defeated American Korey Dropkin 6-3. Scotland’s Ross Whyte topped Norway’s Magnus Ramsfjell 8-5.