A look back to the last time Sask. made the Brier final
You could argue Curling is almost just as popular as football in Saskatchewan - a province where events like the Brier are appointment television at sports bars, retail stores, and in many households.
Most know a few players on the Riders and have run around on a football field.
But in Saskatchewan, you don’t have to know a single member of Team Saskatchewan, or even step on a curling sheet, to run into people asking ‘How are we doin so far... is this finally the year?’
However, although the sport is popular, Saskatchewan has not seen much in the way of winning at the Brier.
It’s been nearly 30 years since a Saskatchewan rink even made it to a Brier final. And more than 40 years since this province won.
The last time Saskatchewan was in a Brier final, NBA Jam was a must-have for Super Nintendo, and VCRs were at their peak.
In 1995, the team skipped by Brad Heidt along with Mark Dacey, Wayne Charteris, and Dam Ormsby, gave Saskatchewan something to cheer about.
That year, the Brier was held in Halifax where heavyweights like Kevin Martin, Ed Werenich, and Kerry Burtnyk were looking for a championship.
But the Saskatchewan rink proved they belonged going 8-3 in the round-robin, securing second place.
In the playoffs, Saskatchewan would face Manitoba, skipped by Kerry Burtnyk, in a strategic battle that would go to extra ends.
That’s when Heidt would make a draw to give Saskatchewan a 6-5 win and a bye to the final.
But it seemed it was destiny for these two rinks to meet again.
Burtnyk beat Alberta’s Kevin Martin in a semi-final playoff game, to set up a rematch between Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the final.
The game was a see-saw battle that saw the game tied at three after four ends.
But Manitoba would get two in the fifth end, and steal another two in the sixth end to grab a 7-3 lead.
Heidt would make a take-out shot to score three in the seventh to pull to within one and score another two in the ninth after Burtnyk got one with the hammer, and it was all tied up at eight.
In the final end, Burtnyk had the hammer, and he used it to score two and come away with a 10-8 win over Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan came so close, but yet so far.
1995 remains the last time Saskatchewan played in a Brier championship game.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.