Silvernagle defeats Homan in first draw of Players’ Championship

TORONTO – Robin Silvernagle scored a single in the extra end to edge Ottawa’s Rachel Homan 5-4 on Tuesday in both skips’ opening match of the Grand Slam of Curling’s Players’ Championship.

Silvernagle, from North Battleford, Sask., tied the game in the eighth end with a deuce. She shot 81 per cent to Homan’s 76.

Kerri Einarson of Winnipeg topped Satsuki Fujisawa 6-4 in the only other women’s game of the first draw at Mattamy Athletic Centre.

On the men’s side, Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., topped Regina’s Matt Dunstone 6-2 in six ends.

Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., also began the tournament with a victory, beating Toronto’s John Epping 4-1 in seven ends.

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version had the wrong score for Gushue’s match.