As opening days at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts go, maybe it wasn't perfection for Kerry Galusha of the Territories.

Still, one win, one loss, an impromptu family reunion and, oh yeah, a two-year lease on a new car made it an awful special Saturday in Red Deer for the 34-yearold government employee from Yellowknife.

She started her eighth trip to the Canadian women's curling championship by winning the Ford Hot Shots skills competition to take home the keys to a new Ford Focus for a couple of years.

Shortly before her opening game a little while later, she was surprised to get a visit from her big brother Kevin Koe, the 2010 Brier and world champ and newly crowned Alberta men's champ who had made a surprise trip north from Calgary with his wife and kids; she wasn't expecting them to visit until Monday.

And to make it a thoroughly splendid first few hours at the Enmax Centrium, Galusha made a short raise takeout with her last rock in the 11th end to beat the Scotties home team and one of the early favourites in the 12-team field, Alberta's Heather Nedohin, 8-7.

Yes, a 9-5 loss to P.E.I.'s Kim Dolan in the late draw - a result that was dictated early when the Islanders dropped a second-end sixpack on the northerners - took some of the glow off the day. But not much.

"If we didn't give up that six, it would have been a different game," said Galusha.

"But we take some confidence from today. Everybody needs a good sleep tonight and we'll come back strong in the morning.

"To win a car and beat Alberta, who a lot of the media is putting into the top three? Yeah, pretty good day."

A good night's sleep will be key for Galusha's regular lead Megan Cormier, who missed the opener with a stomach bug and tried to play in the night draw before exiting early in the game.

The Albertans, meanwhile, had the bye Saturday night after the disappointing loss. Nedohin's team made six perfect shots in the extra end to get a shot frozen on the button and covered by two guards. But Nedohin, who just missed on a straight-back raise takeout for the win in the 10th end, misfired on her final two guards to give Galusha an out and she made the angle raise to push the Alberta rock far enough to give the Territories the win.

"I'd like to take both those shots back, but give it to the hot shot, she played well," said Nedohin.

"That's a veteran, experienced Territories team. I've been watching them throughout the years, and they're not getting blown out.

"Honestly, she played extremely well. I thought we curled well enough to win. I thought we had it until my last two shots. We left her a shot and she made it. Good on her."

Meanwhile, Team Canada's Amber Holland opened her title defence in style on Saturday. Holland's team from Kronau, Sask., took advantage of a bad miss from Newfoundland skip Heather Strong to steal three in the eighth end en route to a 7-4 victory.

Strong, making her 10th appearance at the Hearts, was attempting to draw to backing with her last rock, but was heavy with the shot to gift-wrap a steal of three for Holland's reigning champs - third Kim Schneider, second Tammy Schneider and lead Heather Kalenchuk.

That stolen three broke open what had been a tight game, and Holland was able to cruise home with the victory.

Also Saturday, Ontario rookie skip Tracy Horgan picked up a win in her Scotties debut when Dolan's last-rock draw to the fourfoot was heavy, giving Ontario a 7-6 triumph.

In the other Draw 1 game, B.C.'s Kelly Scott needed an extra end to beat Marie-France Larouche of Quebec 7-6.

In the other late-draw games, Manitoba's Jennifer Jones topped Rebecca Atkinson of New Brunswick 7-3, Saskatchewan's Michelle Englot stole points in the eighth, ninth and 10th ends for a 7-5 win over Nova Scotia's Heather Smith-Dacey, and Quebec toppled Newfoundland 7-5.