CALGARY, March 8, 2009 -- Reigning world champion Kevin Martin of Alberta improved to 2-0 and three-time Brier champion Russ Howard of New Brunswick got into the win column here this morning at the 2009 Tim Hortons Brier.

Martin defeated Quebec's Jean-Michel Menard 7-5, while Howard knocked off Saskatchewan's Joel Jordison 9-4 in what was the traditional two-game Sunday morning draw. Quebec dropped to 1-1 with the loss, while Jordison -- making his rookie Brier appearance -- falls to 0-2.

The story of the Alberta-Quebec matchup was actually the play of the losing skip. Menard singlehandedly kept his team in the game, bailing his foursome out end after end and twice drawing the button cold against multiple Alberta counters to keep Quebec in the game.

But the difference was the shot he missed, a freeze attempt with his last rock in the fifth end that was heavy and glanced off, allowing Martin an open hit and what proved to be a decisive three-ender.

Howard broke open a tight game with Saskatchewan with a steal of two in the fourth end and then a three-ender in the sixth that put him in control for good, leading 7-3 at that point.

The Brier resumes at 1 p.m. MT, when Manitoba takes on PEI, Newfoundland plays BC, Nova Scotia plays NWT/Yukon and Ontario plays Northern Ontario in a renewal of that long rivalry. TSN will provide live coverage and will feature the Nova Scotia-NWT/Yukon matchup.