Team B.C. had a rough Day 4 at the Tim Hortons Brier in Halifax, losing twice to finish with a 2-5 record.

The Jeff Richard’s Kelowna rink — vice-skipped by Cranbrook’s Tom Shypitka — opened Tuesday with an afternoon match against former Olympic champion Brad Gushue of Newfoundland & Labrador.

The teams went back and forth, exiting the fifth end tied 3-3; Gushue kept it that way until the eighth.

B.C. missed some runback attempts and, facing three Newfoundland stones in the eight-foot, Richard drew to the back four-foot with his last rock. Gushue replied by taking out the shot stone and scoring four.

Richard scored two in the ninth, but had to shake hands before Gushue’s final rock in the 10th. Newfoundland & Labrador ended the day 6-1, and is alone in second.

In the evening draw, Team B.C. was up against Brad Jacobs’ Northern Ontario rink.

Jacobs stole singles in the fourth, fifth and ninth ends on the way to a 7-3 victory.

Richard, Shypitka, Tyler Orme and Chris Anderson are back in action this morning against Saskatchewan’s Darrell McKee, who is also 2-5.

This afternoon, B.C. will face Jamie Koe of the Northwest Territories. His team won its first game last night against Nova Scotia, although the reins were in third Kevin Whitehead’s hands — the skip had to write an exam.

Ontario’s Glenn Howard improved to a perfect 7-0 Tuesday after dumping P.E.I. and Saskatchewan.

Play opens today with a four-way tie for third, between Jacobs, Alberta’s Kevin Koe, Quebec’s Serge Reid and Jeff Stoughton of Manitoba.

Round robin play wraps up Thursday.