Playoff races tighten at Northern Ontario Tankard

Brad Jacobs learned quickly Friday night that Al Hackner is still one of the best skips in Northern Ontario.

Jacobs, who raced out to a 5-0 lead through four ends, found himself down 7-6 when the ninth end finished, and needed a point in 10 and a steal in the extra end to avoid his first loss at the provincial men’s curling championship in Nipigon.

The 8-7 victory upped the Sault Ste. Marie curler, and four-time defending champion’s record to 7-0. He’d already clinched top spot in the nine-team field.

But while Jacobs is running away with round-robin play, there’s a log jam of playoff contenders clogging up the standings.

Hackner, Thunder Bay’s Bryan Burgess and Sudbury’s Robbie Gordon all check in at 4-3, with one game left to play. Thunder Bay’s Trevor Bonot and Jeff Currie, meanwhile, are another game back with identical 3-4 records, tied with Copper Cliff’s Mike Jakubo.

Burgess eliminated New Liskeard’s Matt Dumontelle Friday night, beating him 7-3 in seven ends. Bonot, who won his first two games this week, was doubled 8-4 by North Bay’s Jordan Chandler, who picked up his first win in seven outings in the match. Gordon edged Jakubo 9-8 in an extra end.

Hackner tackles Currie on Saturday morning, with Bonot and Burgess tangling in the other all-Thunder Bay matchup. Jakubo will try to remove Jacobs from the ranks of the unbeaten, while Chandler will try to play spoiler against Gordon.

The top four teams make the playoffs.