Team Alberta skip Kevin Koe delivers a shot against Team Canada at the Brier curling championships in Ottawa, Canada, March 10, 2016.CHRIS WATTIE/Reuters
Alberta's Kevin Koe and Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador have joined Northern Ontario's Brad Jacobs in the playoff mix at the Tim Hortons Brier.
Manitoba's Mike McEwen is the heavy favourite to earn the other berth.
The playoff picture has become much clearer at the national men's curling championship. Several teams — including Canada's Pat Simmons — were left clinging to the faint chance of an appearance in a tiebreaker game after Thursday morning's results.
Gushue came through with a hit on his final throw to edge B.C.'s Jim Cotter 8-7 while Koe dumped Simmons 8-3. Jacobs and McEwen had the morning off.
After 14 draws, Jacobs led the 12-team field at 8-0 with Gushue right behind at 8-1. McEwen was in third place at 6-2 and Koe was next at 7-3.
Four rinks had five losses apiece and will be eliminated with another loss or if McEwen wins one of his three remaining games.
It was a tough blow for Team Canada, which opened the competition with three straight victories.
"You look at those top four teams that are going to be in the playoffs and we didn't beat any of them," said Canada lead Nolan Thiessen. "So that's a recipe for going home early."
Saskatchewan's Steve Laycock moved into a fifth-place tie with Simmons at 5-5 after topping Ontario's Glenn Howard 7-4. Prince Edward Island's Adam Casey beat Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories 7-4 in the other early game.
Two draws were scheduled for later Thursday and the round-robin will conclude Friday morning. The Page playoffs start Friday night.
New Brunswick's Mike Kennedy and Quebec's Jean-Michel Menard were tied at 3-5 and Howard fell to 4-6. Cotter and Casey were next at 2-7 and Jamie Koe was at 1-8.
The winner of Sunday's championship game will represent Canada at the world men's curling championship next month in Basel, Switzerland.