Brier champ Brad Gushue downs Reid Carruthers in Elite 10 opener

Newly crowned national men's curling champion Brad Gushue returned to the ice Thursday and picked up where he left off a few days earlier.

Gushue, who won the Tim Hortons Brier last Sunday in his hometown of St. John's, opened the Elite 10 with a victory over Winnipeg's Reid Carruthers at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre in Nova Scotia. 

The Grand Slam event features a match-play format. Gushue needed an extra end to complete the one-up victory.

Switzerland's Peter De Cruz topped Calgary's Kevin Koe in an extra end for the one-up win and Sweden's Niklas Edin posted a 3-up win over Toronto's John Epping.

Two more draws were scheduled for later Thursday. The playoffs begin Saturday and the final is set for Sunday.