By Mario Annicchiarico

The much anticipated victory finally arrived for Team BC on Tuesday at the , but the baby watch is still on for two members of Sean Geall乌鸦传媒檚 Kelowna Curling Club team.

Lead Dave Harper returned to Regina late Monday night, missing out on the evening game at the Brandt Centre, but he was back in position for a 12-6 win over Newfoundland/Labrador乌鸦传媒檚 Greg Smith in the afternoon on Tuesday.

Harper ventured back to B.C. on Saturday as his wife, Jessica, was experiencing labour pains. Baby No. 2 decided it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 quite ready to enter the world and Harper was encouraged to head back to the Canadian men乌鸦传媒檚 curling championship.

乌鸦传媒淛ust not quite there yet, everything seems to be good. My wife said, 乌鸦传媒楪o, you need to go back and play a game and live out your dream,乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� Harper said after the team乌鸦传媒檚 first win. 乌鸦传媒淗onestly I thought I was heading home, but the curling gods were with me and I got to came out to live my dream here.乌鸦传媒�

His flight back was re-routed to Saskatoon on Monday due to brutal snow conditions Regina is experiencing.

Harper 乌鸦传媒� who left after four ends on Saturday 乌鸦传媒� re-joined skip Geall, third Jeff Richard and second Andrew Nerpin, replacing fifth man Brad Wood, who has filled in throughout the competition.

Richard乌鸦传媒檚 wife, Brooklyn Leitch, was also due this past Sunday, but their first child has held off for dad, who is back to his first Brier since 2010.

乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e got such good family support at home that once we get on the ice, we乌鸦传媒檙e able to focus well. We know our wives are in good hands. My mom and Brooklyn乌鸦传媒檚 mom, and Dave乌鸦传媒檚 mom and his wife乌鸦传媒檚 mom are all there. They乌鸦传媒檝e had more babies than we have,乌鸦传媒� Richard said with a chuckle. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e got a really good support group.乌鸦传媒�

So Richard was glad to have Harper back in the fold as the team improved to 1-4 to remain in contention, with a slim hope to carry on to the championships round. They needed wins over the Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia on Wednesday to stay alive.

乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 a vital part of the team. It乌鸦传媒檚 amazing what one player brings to the team,乌鸦传媒� Richard said of Harper. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 our motivator and our rah-rah guy. He probably has one of the most positive attitudes in a curler that I乌鸦传媒檝e ever played with, so it乌鸦传媒檚 nice to have him back.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 nice to get the monkey off the back and hopefully we can get a couple more,乌鸦传媒� Richard said of the win. 乌鸦传媒淚f we can win our last two we乌鸦传媒檙e in some sort of a tiebreaker.乌鸦传媒�

B.C. took the first step to a playoff spot Wednesday morning defeating the Northwest Territories 7-3. The Geall rink will take on Nova Scotia (3-3) for the Wednesday night for the final berth in pool B.

乌鸦传媒淧laying in the Brier is something you dream of,乌鸦传媒� Richard said of just having the chance to play at nationals. 乌鸦传媒淭o be able to come back and play it again is absolutely awesome.

乌鸦传媒淲e just have to have a good day (Wednesday) and we乌鸦传媒檒l see what happens.乌鸦传媒�

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