by Martin Gavin, special to Northern News Services

Kevin Koe has now positioned himself one win from for a front row seat at the lighting of the Olympic flame in PyeongChang, South Korea in February.

SA国际影视传媒淲e actually havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been playing as well as we can play, we can play better but we are finding a way to win,SA国际影视传媒� said Koe upon clinching the finals berth on Dec. 7. SA国际影视传媒淭here is still a lot of work to do (and) we havenSA国际影视传媒檛 won anything yet.SA国际影视传媒�

The Calgary-based team got off to a bumpy start at the event and squeaked out a couple wins in games that could have easily gone to the other way.

Following his come-from-behind victory against Jacobs, the team gathered momentum, snapping off five more consecutive wins and a strangle hold on first place.

SA国际影视传媒淚t may very well be KoeSA国际影视传媒檚 weekSA国际影视传媒� said Russ Howard, 2006 Olympic champion and TSN analyst. SA国际影视传媒淓arly in the week, they were getting the breaks and now they are rolling and donSA国际影视传媒檛 need breaks.SA国际影视传媒�

KoeSA国际影视传媒檚 main rival will now be Brad Gushue of Newfoundland and Labrador, the reigning men's world champion. Gushue qualified for the world championship earlier this year by knocking off Koe in the Brier final.

SA国际影视传媒淲e kind of owe them for that one,SA国际影视传媒� said Marc Kennedy, Koe's third.

These two teams were set to face off in the last game of the round-robin on Dec. 8 in which a victory by Koe may possibly have eliminated Gushue from the playoffs at the Olympic trials.

Kevin will play for his Olympic berth on Dec. 10.