YORKTON, Sask. - Mike McEwen of Winnipeg earned a playoff spot in the Grand Slam of Curling Canadian Open with a 7-3 win over Brad Gushue of St. John's N.L., on Thursday.

McEwen got out to an early 4-0 lead after two ends, stealing three in the first and one in the second. He added two more points in the fifth and a single in the seventh.

Gushue scored two points in the third to cut his early deficit in half and added a single in the sixth end.

Calgary's Kevin Koe became the first skip to qualify for a playoff berth after defeating Brendan Bottcher of Edmonton, 7-3 in the late morning draw.

In the evening B side matches, Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., scored four points each in the third and seventh ends en route to a 12-7 victory over Winnipeg's Reid Carruthers, Saskatoon's Steve Laycock came from behind to beat Glenn Howard of Penetanguishene, Ont., 6-4, and Jim Cotter of Kelowna/Vernon, B.C., scored two in the final end to edge Sweden’s Niklas Edin 7-6.

Earlier in the day, Ottawa's Rachel Homan and Edmonton's Val Sweeting both earned playoff spots. Homan edged Winnipeg’s Kristy McDonald 8-7 while Sweeting took a 5-3 win over Edmonton's Heather Nedohin.

Eve Muirhead of Scotland scored three in the seventh end to beat Julie Hastings of Thornhill, Ont., 6-4 in the women's B Bracket.

In the afternoon B bracket, Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones needed an extra end to defeat Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni 9-8, Edmonton's Chelsea Carey downed Jill Thurston of Winnipeg, 7-2, and Switzerland's Binia Feltscher came away with a 5-4 win over Regina's Amber Holland.