Moose Jaw's Penny Barker led for much of her opening game at the 2016 Saskatchewan Scotties Tournament of Hearts against Michelle Englot, but couldn't hold on in the end.

Englot scored three in the ninth end to secure a 7-4 win over Barker and her rink of third Deanna Doig, second Melissa Hoffman and lead Danielle Sicinski to kick-off the provincial championship in Prince Albert on Wednesday.

After blanking the first two ends, Barker took a 3-1 lead after five thanks to a single in the third and a deuce in the fifth. Englot would take control over the next two ends, scoring one in the sixth and then stealing two in the seventh to go up 4-3.

Barker would retake the lead in eighth, but Englot was to score three points in the ninth to seal the win.

Barker is back on the ice at 2 p.m. on Thursday against Balgonie's Mandy Selzer.

There was two draws on the opening day of action in Prince Albert.

In the afternoon draw, Swift Current's Kelsey Dutton opened up with a 5-3 win over Selzer, while Regina Callie's Nancy Inglis rolled to an 8-2 win over Martensville's Nancy Martin.

Other night draw action had Regina Highland's Jolene Campbell knocking off Regina Callie's Kristie Moore; defending champion Stefanie Lawton out of Saskatoon Nutanta won 9-5 over Kronau's Kim Schneider; and North Battleford's Robyn Silvernagle upset Saskatoon Nutanta's Sherry Anderson, 6-5.