With one game still remaining to complete their preliminary Pool B round robin schedule, the Northern Ontario rink of Trevor Bonot, Jackie McCormick, Mike McCarville and Sudbury lead Amanda Gates have safely secured a spot in championship flight play, winning four of their first five games at the 2022 Canadian Mixed Curling Championships.

The green and gold NOCA champs began with a 6-4 loss to Nova Scotia (Paul Flemming) on opening day, but have since rebounded with four straight wins, upending Manitoba (Corey Chambers) 6-4, Ontario (Scott McDonald) 7-5, Newfoundland & Labrador (William Butler) 7-2 and drubbing Prince Edward Island (Dennis Watts) 10-3 earlier this evening.

The Thunder Bay based squad, which also represented Northern Ontario last November at the National Mixed bonspiel, posting a record of 6-4, have been able to either jump out to early leads (5-0 over Manitoba after three ends and 8-2 over P.E.I. after five) or pull away in very tight games.

Tied 3-3 with Ontario Monday evening, the team surrendered two to their provincial counterparts in the sixth end but countered with four of their own in the seventh.

Their record of 4-1 leaves Team Bonot currently tied for top spot in their grouping with Nova Scotia, with Jamie Koe and the Northwest Territories sitting at 3-0 after travel challenges had them arriving late to Prince Albert (Saskatchewan).

NWT will face Northern Ontario Wednesday afternoon in their middle of a three game set as they make up for lost ground. The top four from each pool move on to play in the championship flight, with NO and company having four more games against the opponents that they have yet to face.

From there, the top four rinks will move on to the playoffs, beginning on Saturday.