REGINA — Jamie Koe walked down the blue carpet at ice level at the Brandt Centre and gave his big brother a hard high-five, his eyes still red from the moment on ice that had just brought him to tears, as a P.E.I. rock sailed wide and gave him one of the biggest wins of his career.
The younger Koe did it. On Thursday afternoon, veteran Yellowknife skipper Jamie Koe punched his team from Northwest Territories a ticket to the Brier playoffs for just the second time in the territory’s history.
“Oh it’s just wild — our fans came down to see us right after, so everyone was crying, got me going and everything, I was crying,” Koe said, after a 9-8 extra ends win over P.E.I.
“We looked at the pools when we got here, and you think: Can we actually make the playoffs here? And yeah, now we actually did. It’s kind of a surreal moment. We got it done.”
A Koe brother is advancing to the Brier playoffs, just not the one you’re used to seeing in contention. Kevin and Team Alberta, ranked third in Canada, were eliminated earlier this week after a dismal start they never rebounded from.
It’s Jamie and Team NT, ranked 94th in Canada, who are moving onto Friday’s playoffs. Koe, third Glen Kennedy, second Cole Parsons and lead Shadrach McLeod get in 20 games or so a season, they plan to peak in January, and then try to be ready to contend at the Brier each season against top dogs like Newfoundland’s Brad Gushue and Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher et al.
“It’s unbelievable,” Kennedy said, when it was over, his heart still pounding. “I’m so happy for Jamie and the guys. I’m so happy for Yellowknife. For NWT in general. It’s such a great feeling to show the world what this team can do…and it’s just nice to see what that kind of bottom half of the Brier is capable of. And you’re totally seeing it this week, right?”
This is Koe’s 17th appearance at the Brier, and Friday will mark his second appearance in the playoffs, following a bronze medal loss in 2012.
Once Gushue’s team won on Thursday and clinched that second playoff spot in Pool B, it meant the tilt between P.E.I. and NT would see the winner earn the pool’s final playoff berth.
It didn’t look good for NT late in the game, though. P.E.I. took control in the eighth end, when skip Tyler Smith scored three to give Canada’s smallest province an 8-6 lead. Koe blanked the ninth to take the hammer into ten, and managed to score a deuce to force the 11th end.
“Took a page out of my brother’s playbook, just to try to go to 10, make sure you try to get your deuce, maybe get a chance for three,” the 46-year-old Koe said. “I got the two and then you never know, make him throw it, make him throw a tough shot. And yeah, he just missed it. Feel for him, great game, great week.”
On his last shot, Smith — who’d been perfect on his draws — missed just wide. Koe covered his face with his hand, then shook hands and gave each of his teammates a hard hug. Smith slid down the ice looking down beneath the brim of his black hat.
“You want to win on a made shot right, it’s tough to see your opponent — I know Tyler really well — miss that,” Koe said. “I know they’re going through the opposite emotions, so I really feel for them on their end.”
Koe got a big hug from his dad when it was over, and was looking forward to seeing his mom, who’s here too. Koe’s wife Chris headed home earlier this week, and he figured she was watching on TV with their kids, Niklaas and Peyton.
His Team NT has been feeling support from all over the country since they started their run here, which included beating Gushue’s Team Canada in round-robin play earlier this week.
“The comments we’re getting from fans around here, but also the Northwest Territories and everywhere, people are rooting for us,” Koe said. “I can’t wait to look at my phone — it’s probably blowing up pretty good here. But yeah, we just got to enjoy this moment and see what happens.”
Team NT heads into Friday’s playoffs feeling no pressure, by far the lowest seed still in contention.
“We’re the underdogs, right?” Koe said.
“So proud of him,” Kevin Koe said, of his brother. “He’s playing good. Hopefully he keeps it going.”
Team NT will try to win a first-ever playoff game for the territory at the Brier on Friday. But there’s no doubt that just getting that chance is monumental.
“In my mind, what we just accomplished for Northwest Territories is historical,” Kennedy said. “And that’s what I was thinking about this morning, is even though I’m not from there, if I can just do whatever I can to contribute to the territories, that was the end goal in my mind. Something to play for above and beyond myself and our team.”
“We got it done when we really needed it, so that feels really good,” Koe added. “It’s our moment now, and we’re going to take it.”
