There were no signs of fatigue Saturday as Brad GushueB次元官网网址檚 team continued its whirlwind winter with a 9-3 victory over QuebecB次元官网网址檚 Michael Fournier at the Tim Hortons Brier.

Gushue, Mark Nichols, Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker opened with a deuce and never trailed in the round-robin opener for both teams at the Enmax Centre.

The St. JohnB次元官网网址檚, N.L.,-based team only spent about a week at home after a long trip back from Beijing, where they won bronze at the Winter Olympics. The players held a two-week training camp in British Columbia before flying to China last month.

Gushue admitted in Beijing that he wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure whether his team could be in top form at the national playdowns given the mental, physical and emotional toll of competing at the Games.

But the Wild Card One skip, who has won the Brier three times over the last five years, was in full control from the start of the afternoon draw.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 trying to weather the storm in the first four or five games and get a feel and get comfortable,B次元官网网址� Gushue said. B次元官网网址淚 think if weB次元官网网址檙e able to weather that storm, obviously expectations are going to start increasing and weB次元官网网址檒l see what we can do.B次元官网网址�

Gushue drew for a pair to open the scoring and Nichols made a triple takeout in the second end to set up a steal. A three-ender in the fifth essentially put the game away.

B次元官网网址淭he expectations are not as high as what they normally are but we made a lot of shots,B次元官网网址� Gushue said.

In other early games, Nova ScotiaB次元官网网址檚 Paul Flemming topped Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories 11-5, Northern OntarioB次元官网网址檚 Brad Jacobs defeated Wild Card ThreeB次元官网网址檚 Jason Gunnlaugson 5-3 and ManitobaB次元官网网址檚 Mike McEwen dumped B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Brent Pierce 10-3.

Colton Lott played lead for Manitoba as a replacement for Colin Hodgson, who recently tested positive for COVID-19 and is nursing a lower-body injury.

B次元官网网址淐olton played astounding today,B次元官网网址� McEwen said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 well-known for his laser-surgery hitting. But wow, he had great feel today.B次元官网网址�

The evening draw features a matchup between CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Brendan Bottcher and New BrunswickB次元官网网址檚 James Grattan.

ItB次元官网网址檚 the first meeting between New Brunswick vice Darren Moulding and his former teammates since the defending champions cut him from the squad last December.

Competition continues through March 13. The winning rink from the 18-team competition will represent Canada at the April 2-10 world menB次元官网网址檚 curling championship in Las Vegas.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

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