McEwen, Kleiter notch bounce back wins as Sask. teams ready to faceoff at curling trials

Mike McEwen throws a rock during Canadian Olympic curling trials action against Team Jacobs in Halifax, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Saskatoon Nutana Curling Club’s Team McEwen and Team Kleiter each notched victories in the eighth draw of the Montana’s Curling Trial in Halifax, N.S. Monday night.

McEwen, who had lost two-straight draws, defeated former trials champion Kevin Koe 9-7, improving to 2-2 on the week.

Tied at five in the eighth end, skip Mike McEwen opted for the double-raise to score an important three, which would help seal the win for the Saskatchewan club.

Rylan Kleiter had lost his first three draws going into Monday night.

Taking on Sudbury, Ont.’s John Epping, the Saskatoon skip also scored three in the eighth to take the lead, before adding another two in the 10th end, capping off a 10-7 victory and earning his first win of the tournament.

Kleiter’s win jumps him into sixth place in the standings while McEwen is fourth place through four men’s draws. Only the top three teams will make the trials’ playoffs.

McEwen (2-2) and Kleiter (1-3) now ready to take on each other in an all-Saskatchewan matchup in Draw 10 Tuesday.

The draw is scheduled for noon Sask. time on TSN.

Einarson rocking

On the women’s side of the trials, Kerri Einarson sits alone atop the standings as the only undefeated team through four matches.

Fresh off her third Women’s Curling World Championship, Rachel Homan lost her first draw to a Canadian team for the first time in two years Sunday but bounced back Monday with a confident 12-5 win over Team Sturmay.

Believed to be the top-two teams in the country, Einarson and Homan will not see each other in a game until the final woman’s round robin draw Wednesday.