In a frustrating turn of events, Canada’s mixed doubles curling team suffered a 7-6 defeat against Sweden on Sunday at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. This loss marked the fourth consecutive setback for Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman, who now find themselves in a precarious position with a 3-4 record in the round-robin stage. The Swedish duo, Rasmus and Isabella Wrana, capitalised on a crucial three-point seventh end, leaving Canada with slim hopes of advancing to the semifinals.
Playoff Hopes Dwindle
The Canadians entered this competition as strong contenders for a podium finish, but the latest defeat has pushed them down to sixth place in the standings, significantly diminishing their chances of reaching the playoff rounds. To advance, Gallant and Peterman must secure victories in their final two matches while simultaneously relying on favourable outcomes from other games.
“It’s disappointing because we had control of the match earlier on,” lamented Canadian coach Scott Pfeifer. “Had we won this morning, we would have been in a much better position for the playoffs.”
The duo from Chestermere, Alberta, is set to face South Korea’s Seonyeong Kim and Yeongseok Jeong, who currently hold a record of 2-5, in their next outing.
Need for a Strong Comeback
Following the loss, Gallant remained optimistic, stating, “We just need to reset and come out firing tonight. I thought we played a solid game this afternoon, so there are definitely positives to build on.”
However, the situation is compounded by their standing in the draw shot challenge, where they sit last among the ten competing teams. This metric, which averages pre-game draws to the button, serves as a tiebreaker should teams end up with identical records.
“There’s only one thing within our control, and that’s our performance on the ice,” Pfeifer noted, underscoring the importance of focusing on their own game.
Missed Opportunities
The match against Sweden showcased both the talent and the vulnerabilities of the Canadian team. They struggled early on, allowing the Swedish siblings to steal two points in the first end due to a slightly miscalculated shot from Peterman. However, she turned the tide in the fourth end, executing a perfect draw against four Swedish stones to bring Canada back into contention.
Momentum shifted again when the Canadians forced Sweden to score just one point in the fifth end. They then capitalised on a crucial double in the sixth, giving Canada a 5-4 lead. But the seventh end proved pivotal when a Gallant runback went awry, allowing Sweden to seize the advantage.
Despite a valiant effort in the eighth, with Peterman attempting a game-winning double-runback that ultimately fell short, the final outcome was a bitter disappointment.
Looking Ahead
As Canada prepares for its round-robin finale against Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann, who recently triumphed over Great Britain, the stakes could not be higher. The Canadians must not only win but also hope for other results to align favourably.
As it stands, Great Britain is the only team guaranteed a place in the playoffs, with the semifinals scheduled for Monday evening and the medal matches to follow on Tuesday.
Why it Matters
The outcome of this competition holds significant implications not only for Gallant and Peterman’s Olympic aspirations but also for the reputation of Canadian curling on the world stage. With expectations set high for success, any further misstep could lead to a disappointing conclusion for a team that was once viewed as a strong medal contender. As they face the prospect of elimination, the pressure mounts, proving that in the high-stakes world of curling, every shot counts.
