REGINA -- Two of the four teams that will compete in Friday’s page playoffs here at the 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts have now been determined.

Ontario's Sherry Middaugh joined Alberta in the playoff derby with a 9-5 win Thursday afternoon over Nova Scotia. The win clinched Ontario a playoff spot with an 8-2 record, while Nova Scotia’s Mary-Anne Arsenault  has now been elimiinated from playoff contention with a final round-robin record of 6-5.

Middaugh said she’s not satisfied yet, however. “One more win and we’ll be where we want to be,” Middaugh said. “Because we want that 1 vs 2 game.”
Teams that qualify for the page playoff 1 vs 2 game get two chances to get to the final.

Alberta, 9-1, clinched their playoff spot and the first place berth in the 1 vs 2 game earlier Thursday with an 8-7 win over PEI’s Suzanne Gaudet.

In other games Thursday afternoon, Quebec’s Marie-France Larouche clinched at least a playoff tiebreaker game with an 8-2 win over New Brunswick’s Sylvie Robichaud. Quebec improved to 7-3.

Larouche, a finalist at the 2004 Scott Tournament of Hearts, said she likes her team’s chances come playoff-time. “I’m sure if we go to the playoffs, we’ll have the experience,” Larouche said.

Meanwhile, Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones kept her playoff hopes alive with a 9-4 win over Team Canada’s Kelly Scott. Jones finished the round-robin at 7-4 and needs a loss by either Newfoundland, who are 7-3, or Quebec Thursday night to force a playoff tiebreaker.

Scott -- and all the other teams with five losses or more -- are now eliminated from playoff contention.

That includes Saskatchewan’s Michelle Englot, who improved to 5-5 Thursday afternoon with an 8-1 win over PEI’s Suzanne Gaudet.

The Scotties round-robin wraps up Thursday evening when Quebec plays Northwest Territories/Yukon, Ontario plays Newfoundland, BC plays Canada and Alberta plays Saskatchewan.

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