In the next session Tuesday night, Canada and skip Matt Dunstone handed Sweden its second loss of the 12-game round robin with a lopsided 10-3 affair that ended after the minimum six ends.

Wednesday morning offered more excitement as Canada defeated Switzerland 8-7. Canada led the entire game after scoring 3 points in the first two ends. Switzerland refused to quit, scoring three points in the ninth end to tie the game at 7 entering the final frame.

With the final rocks in 10, Switzerland was sitting shot buried on the right edge of the button and Philipp Hoesli, Marco’s brother, put up a center guard with the last Swiss rock.

Dunstone’s counter-clockwise draw around the guards looked heavy, but braked in time to stop on the left side of the button to secure the victory.

Ryan Olson, Standard-Examiner

Wednesday morning’s results created a four-way tie atop the standings as Canada, Scotland, Switzerland and Sweden all had 7-2 records. Italy and the United States were tied for fifth place with 6-3 records, while Germany at 4-5 was holding on to seventh place.

The top six teams at the conclusion of round-robin play Thursday advance to the playoffs.

The game between Sweden and Switzerland was tied at 5 through the seventh end, according to World Curling. Throwing the hammer in the eighth, Philipp Hoesli, Marco’s brother, drew to score 2 points. The Swiss secured the 8-5 win after stealing a single point in the ninth end.

After the game, Marco Hoesli was asked by the Curling Channel about the Swiss stealing three ends from Sweden.

“We just wanted to pressurize him and make him play some difficult shots,” he said. “He missed one or two, and that was good for us.”

Ryan Olson, Standard-Examiner

In the late game, Canada’s Matt Dunstone may be known as “the Sheriff” but he proved adept at stealing against Sweden as Canada took 4 points without the hammer in the first end. The Canadians loaded rocks into the rings and Edin’s draw with the hammer came up light.

That set the tone for the game as Canada forced Sweden to take single points with the hammer. Dunstone converted the hammer with scores of two in the third end and a massive four-ender in the fifth to put the game away.

Entering Tuesday, Sweden had given up only one stolen end through seven games. They gave up four stolen ends in two games Tuesday.

After the game, Dunstone noted that his team started the event with back-to-back losses to Scotland and the United States, but they remained confident and were on a four-game winning streak through Tuesday.

“With the couple of losses we had earlier in the week, I think maybe some people thought we could have been a bit of a vulnerable group,” he said. “And, you know, I think what we did today kind of shuts that all down.”

Ryan Olson, Standard-Examiner

Dunstone is playing in his first men’s world championship after winning the Brier — the Canadian men’s championship — for the first time.

“It means a lot to play in my first world championship here with this group that’s gone through a lot to get here,” he said. “We’re very proud to be representing Canada.”

While this is Dunstone’s first appearance at a men’s worlds, he previously wore the Maple Leaf for two legs of the short-lived Curling World Cup in 2019, which pitted national teams in a series of events around the world. Dunstone won his initial event, defeating Sweden and Edin in the final.

Dunstone noted that one couldn’t take the opportunity to represent Canada for granted.

“I’ve been many, many years between stints of wearing this uniform and would obviously love for it to be a consistent thing on an annual basis but, you know, that’s not always possible,” he said. “I’m gonna take this moment for what it’s worth and appreciate every moment of it.”

US three wins closer to playoffs

After defeating Japan in their lone Monday game, the United States and skip John Shuster rattled off three straight wins on Tuesday and Wednesday morning to establish a 6-3 record with three games remaining. The Stars and Stripes won handily against Czechia and Poland. The Tuesday afternoon game against China was a nailbiter which went to an extra end and ended when Shuster hit and stuck around for a single point and a 6-5 win.

Shuster reflected on the close battle with China in his comments to the Curling Channel after the game.

“That’s what we come to the world championships for — games like that where both teams are making the shots,” he said.

The U.S. was set to put its four-game winning streak on the line against winless Norway in the Wednesday afternoon draw. The last day of round robin Thursday might pose a challenge to Shuster and the Americans. They’re scheduled to face Italy in the morning before closing out the day with a tilt against Switzerland.

April Foolin’

World Curling couldn’t resist adding some merriment to April Fools’ Day with a couple of hoax posts on social media. One announcing that U.S. curler Matt Hamilton would be appearing on the next season of “Dancing with the Stars” appeared convincing. Another touting that “Ice Bot 3000” was helping to prepare ice before games at men’s worlds was less convincing, although robots that can throw curling stones do actually exist.

Ryan Olson is lead designer for the Daily Herald and Standard-Examiner. He is also a part-time curling instructor for event organizers, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, but was not involved in the event aside from teaching schoolchildren. Ryan can be reached at rolson@standard.net or on Bluesky at bsky.app/profile/quesoguapo.com.