Canada's Einarson downs Fleury, advances to Scotties semifinals

Kerri Einarson's dream of a three-peat remains alive at the Canadian women's curling championships.

The Team Canada skip made a takeout in the sixth end to score four points, then stole two more in the seventh for a 11-6 win over Tracy Fleury’s Wild Card 1 in a playoff game at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont., Saturday afternoon.

The team of Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Bichard and lead Briane Meilleur advanced to Sunday morning’s semifinal game.

They will face the loser of Saturday’s night’s game between Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville and Andrea Crawford of New Brunswick.

The winner between McCarville and Crawford head directly to Sunday night’s final.

The battle between Fleury and Einarson turned in the sixth when Fleury missed on a chip shot.

With her last stone, Einarson calmly took out Fleury’s rock for the four points and an 8-5 lead. It was the 14th time during the tournament Team Canada scored three or more points in an end.

In the seventh, Fleury missed on a chip-and-roll with her first shot. Facing four Team Canada stones, Fleury managed to remove just two with her final shot. That gave Einarson a commanding 10-5 lead.

Fleury went up 3-1 lead in the third end. Einarson was heavy on her last shot, allowing Fleury to draw for three. Team Canada answered in the fourth with Einarson scoring three of her own with a takeout.

In the fifth Fleury was laying three when Einarson used a feather touch on a draw to sit shot. Fleury answered with a takeout to score two for a 5-4 lead.

Einarson’s team from Gimli, Man., were a perfect 8-0 during the round robin before losing 8-6 to Crawford in a playoff game on Friday.

They are looking to join an elite group of rinks to win