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Team Yukon returned home early after failing to qualify for the main draw at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship in Ottawa last week.

After starting off strong with a 6-4 win over Nunavut Thursday, the Yukon lost a tough one 7-5 to Newfoundland, followed by a 9-4 loss to Northwest Territories Friday that eliminated them from competition.

Skip Bob Smallwood said a couple of missed chances spelled an early exit for his team.

Facing a chance to finish Newfoundland in the 10th end, Smallwood's hammer attempt failed to stick after a hit, giving the team from the east coast a steal of one for a 5-5 tie.

"It sort of plays on you a bit when you hit and roll out on a shot where you can win,鈥濃�圫mallwood explained. "If it had of curled another half inch, we would have stuck around and won. But it rolled out, so we went into an 11th end, and I just didn't make my last shot there either.鈥�

A win would have put the Yukon through to the main draw, but the tough loss marked the beginning of the end for the rink made up of Smallwood, third Tamar Vandenberghe, second Adam Pleasant and lead Jody Smallwood.

Bob Smallwood said the 9-4 linescore versus N.W.T. didn't tell the full game story.

"It's only a few shots that actually make that big of a difference,鈥� the 39-year-old said.

In the fourth end, N.W.T. jumped out to a 4-2 lead, scoring a triple courtesy of a Smallwood miss.

Despite coming home early, the skip said the experience at nationals will benefit his rink going forward.

The team, which was formed just prior to this season, included two newcomers to the national level in Pleasant and Vandenberghe.

"It pumped them up a bit,鈥� said Smallwood. "It looks like they are ready to take it to the next level. We'll do some more training and practising and we'll be ready to give it another shot in the spring.鈥�

Smallwood did admit he understands the reasoning behind a pre-qualification format, but felt his team could have competed well against the full slate of provinces and territories.

Pleasant, 28, said the experience served to whet his appetite for further competitive curling.

"Playing for Team Yukon was an incredible experience,鈥濃�坔e said. "Our team could have played an even more solid game if we could've just came together. Now we've got a craving for it, a craving to get back there and give it another go.

"You see the level they're at and the types of shot they make and it just makes you want to do that, because you know you can do it,鈥濃�圥leasant added. "We just started as a team, and we kept up with who we played. As a team, I know we're excited to take another run at it.鈥�

He said the early ousting hurt because the Yukon was oh so close on several shots.

"We could have had two back-to-back wins in a row,鈥� Pleasant said. "Everyone says it's a game of inches ... Stuff happens.鈥�