Calgary’s Kevin Koe rebounds with 6-5 win over Kurt Balderston at Champions Cup

Calgary’s Kevin Koe rebounded with a 6-5 victory over Kurt Balderston of Grand Prairie, Alta., on Day 2 of the Champions Cup in Calgary on Wednesday.

Koe, who was the runner-up at the 2017 event, fell behind 4-2 after five ends, but rallied by scoring four points in the final three frames to cap the comeback win. Koe improved his record to 1-1 after dropping his first match 6-3 to Winnipeg’s Jason Gunnlaugson on the opening day.

In other men’s draw action, defending champion Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., lost his first match 5-3 to Greg Persinger’s rink from Seattle. But he followed up with a 10-5 win over Winnipeg’s Reid Carruthers later on Wednesday.

Brad Gushue of St. John’s, N.L., the runner-up at the world championship earlier this month, defeated Tyler Tardi’s team from Langley, B.C., 8-3.

On the women’s side, Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones opened with an 8-1 drubbing of Val Sweeting’s Edmonton rink.

Jones is coming off a loss in the final of the Players’ Championship to American Jamie Sinclair earlier this month.

Calgary’s Chelsea Carey squad lost to Switzerland’s Alina Paetz 8-2 and Rachel Homan of Ottawa dropped a close match with Sinclair 5-4.

Round-robin play continues Thursday. The elimination draws begin Saturday, with the championship draw scheduled for Sunday.

The Champions Cup is the seventh and final event on the Grand Slam of Curling tour.