Defending champion Gushue to face Alberta's Bottcher for spot in Brier final

Defending champion Brad Gushue and Alberta's Brendan Bottcher won their opening playoff games at the Canadian men's curling championship Friday to shorten theirs roads to the final in Regina.

Gushue defeated Manitoba's Reid Carruthers 9-7 and Bottcher was an 8-7 winner of Saskatchewan's Mike McEwen.

Gushue and Bottcher square off in Saturday's Page playoff that sends the winner directly to Sunday's final and the loser to the semifinal earlier that day.

Watch That Curling Show live from the Brier immediately after the final on the CBC Sports YouTube channel.

McEwen faced Northwest Territories' Jamie Koe and Carruthers met Manitoba's Matt Dunstone in elimination games Friday evening.

Sunday's winner represents Canada at the men's world championship March 30 to April 7 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland and returns to the 2025 Montana's Brier in Kelowna, B.C. as defending champion.

The victor also gains a berth in the 2025 Olympic trials pending a top-six result at the world championship.

Curling Canada also announced Friday that Moose Jaw, Sask., will host the 2025 men's world championship.