Curling Controversy: Unusual finish generates boos, ruffles feathers at Slam event

The Grand Slam of Curling’s competition committee plans to meet this week to discuss an unusual finish at the Co-op Invitational that sent two Canadian teams into the playoffs and led to pointed words from an American rink left outside the cutline.

Boos were heard throughout Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre when teams skipped by Matt Dunstone and Brendan Bottcher were not aggressive in the final end of their round-robin finale Friday night. 

Both teams deliberately threw stones through the house early in the end before Bottcher scored one for a tie that forced a shootout. That gave both sides enough points to advance and eliminated Danny Casper’s rink from playoff contention.

“They’re on ESPN in the U.S. and (Sportsnet) in Canada, thousands of people are watching it, I’m sure, and it looks horrible,” Team Casper second Ben Richardson said from Victoria over the weekend. “It definitely leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“I can’t speak (for) all the people that watched it, but it’s definitely not a good look for our sport.”

Normally, a one-point game would lead to a tense eighth and final end. But with the stakes clear — reach the shootout and you’re guaranteed a playoff spot — both rinks chose a passive style down the stretch. 

When it became obvious both teams were comfortable with a tied score, many spectators voiced their displeasure that any late-game excitement had been scuttled. 

“Don’t be upset with the players, be upset with the format,” said Dunstone, who earned two points for the 6-5 shootout victory.

Bottcher picked up one point for the shootout loss, giving him seven points overall and the final berth. Casper, who would have played a tiebreaker if the game was decided in regulation, missed the cut with six points. 

“I understand why both of them would want a shootout,” Richardson said. “I don’t understand why both of them would not try to win in the last end. I completely disagree with that.”

At issue for many were the early shots in the eighth end. 

Team Dunstone lead Ryan Harnden drew the button, and Team Bottcher lead Geoff Walker flashed his first rock. The Walker miss raised the eyebrows of Team Casper third Luc Violette.

“You would always see a team throw a corner guard in that situation if they were trying to maximize their odds of winning the game outright,” he said.

Harnden’s second shot stopped at the top of the four-foot ring. Walker then made a double-takeout and his shooter rolled out. 

Violette said the flash greatly improved Dunstone’s chances to steal. He would have expected Harnden to follow with a tight centre guard in that situation.

“Instead, they lobbed one right on top of it to leave an easy double,” he said. 

For second stones, Team Dunstone’s Mark Nichols deliberately threw his first rock through the house, and Team Bottcher’s Tanner Horgan did the same thing. 

That sparked boos and jeers throughout the venue. Some spectators shouted “Borrrrr-ing!” while others yelled out “Shame! Shame!”

The broadcast team also sensed what was happening.

“Both of these teams, if this game goes to a shootout, will get into the playoffs,” said on-air host John Cullen. “This looks like maybe a bit of a handshake agreement that both teams are saying, ‘Let’s do it.'” 

“I doubt that there’s any agreement,” analyst Brent Laing replied. “I think they’re both just smart enough to know there’s no need (to) take on any risk, and the other guy thinks the same thing.”

After exchanging hits, Dunstone’s final rock settled on the 12-foot ring and Bottcher drew the button for one point. Both skips said there was no agreement in place to play for the draw.

“In eight, they threw a rock in the house and Geoff’s first rock picked,” Bottcher said in a text message. “That said, our team knew we needed a point to qualify given the format.”

Dunstone, reached on the phone from Victoria, said: “there was no conversation whatsoever.” 

“It was just how the scoreboard played out,” he said.

Nic Sulsky, CEO of GSOC owner The Curling Group, said that while he likes the 3-2-1-0 scoring system that’s in its second season of use on the circuit, he wasn’t impressed with what transpired. 

“It was a little too obvious, it was a little too raw,” he said. “And I feel for the Casper boys. But at the end of the day, fans are in the stands watching rocks being thrown through the house. 

“I’m not a supporter of (that) in a situation like (Friday) night.”

The seven-member competition committee was expected to meet Thursday or Friday, Sulsky said. 

Dunstone went on to lose his quarterfinal to eventual champion Yannick Schwaller of Switzerland while Bottcher dropped his playoff opener to Canada’s Brad Jacobs.

“This isn’t why we didn’t win this weekend,” said Violette. “But at the same time, if this were another sport, I do think there would be some sort of sanction or something that happens as a result of a scenario like we saw play out.”

“I feel like this was, I guess, a step back in us feeling confident in the integrity among teams at our highest level,” he added. 

The next stop on the circuit is the Nov. 3-8 GSOC Masters in Medicine Hat, Alta. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2026.