1973 Macdonald Brier

1973 Macdonald Brier
Host city	Edmonton, Alberta
Arena	Klondike Gardens
Dates	March 5–11
Attendance	37,575
Winner	Saskatchewan
Curling club	Regina CC, Regina
Skip	Harvey Mazinke
Third	Bill Martin
Second	George Achtymichuk
Lead	Dan Klippenstein
« 1972 1974 »

The 1973 Macdonald Brier, the Canadian men's national curling championship was held from March 5 to 11, 1973 at the Klondike Gardens^[1] in Edmonton, Alberta. The total attendance for the week was 37,575.

The event was memorable for having particularly bad ice conditions, considered by some as the "worst (Brier ice) ever manufactured". There was a great thickness of frost on the ice, which was also dotted by tiny pools of water.^[2]

Despite not being considered favorites, Team Saskatchewan, who was skipped by Harvey Mazinke adapted best to the poor ice conditions and captured the Brier tankard as they finished round robin play with a 9–1 record. This was Saskatchewan's sixth Brier title overall and the only title that Mazinke skipped.

Mazinke's rink would go onto represent Canada in the 1973 Air Canada Silver Broom, the men's world curling championship on home soil in Regina, Saskatchewan where they won the silver medal.

This was the first Brier in which teams were allowed to concede games before all ends were complete as long as ten ends were played.^[3]

Saskatchewan's 7–5 victory over Manitoba in Draw 5 was the fourth time in Brier history in which a game went into a second extra end. The other three instances were in 1955 and twice in 1965.

The Draw 7 matchup between New Brunswick and Northern Ontario saw five consecutive blank ends beginning in the fourth end, setting a then Brier record for most consecutive blank ends in one game.^[4] This remains a Macdonald era record (until 1979) and wouldn't be broken in any Brier until 1989.