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
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Toronto eliminated from PWHL playoffs
Toronto has been eliminated from the PWHL playoffs.
Information commissioner faces $700K funding shortfall, says system is 'overwhelmed'
Canada's information commissioner says her office is facing a $700,000 funding shortfall that could impact its ability to investigate complaints about government transparency and accountability.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Dabney Coleman, actor who specialized in curmudgeons, dies at 92
Dabney Coleman, the mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in '9 to 5' and the nasty TV director in 'Tootsie,' has died. He was 92.
Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.