Saskatchewan’s title chances at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw received a massive boost with Monday night’s 7-5 victory over Alberta.

Robyn Silvernagle’s North Battleford squad is 3-1, tied for second place in Pool A. The top four teams out of eight after seven games advance to the next stage of the competition in pursuit of the Canadian women’s curling championship. The loss knocked Laura Walker’s Alberta quartet from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Silvernagle made two big shots in the fifth end to score three and take a 5-3 lead…an advantage they would carry through the rest of the contest.

Manitoba is undefeated at 4-0 atop Pool A ahead of Northern Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta all at 3-1. Saskatchewan plays winless Quebec Tuesday afternoon and Manitoba Tuesday night. In Pool B, three teams are tied for first place at 3-1…Ontario, Nova Scotia and Jennifer Jones’ wild-card team from Winnipeg. Preliminary round-robin play continues through Wednesday night.