OLYMPICS: US Curlers Go for Gold | God's World News

OLYMPICS: US Curlers Go for Gold

02/23/2018
  • AP18053508726609
    (AP Photo: Tyler George, left, and Matt Hamilton embrace after defeating Canada during the semifinal curling match.)

On the heels of a gold medal for the U.S. women’s hockey team over Canada, the U.S. men’s curling team upset Canada in their semifinal match. The win guarantees the United States its highest curling finish ever at the Olympics. The U.S. men will play for a gold medal against Sweden on Saturday.

The U.S. victory Thursday was a remarkable comeback for a team that hasn’t made the Olympic podium since the 2006 Turin Games, when they won a bronze medal. Just as remarkable was the loss for Canada, which has won the gold in men’s curling at the last three Winter Olympics.

The men’s semifinal match was tied at 2-2 going into the eighth “end,” or period. Canada had an advantage known as the “hammer,” the right to throw the final rock of the end. But Kevin Koe, the Canadian team’s “skip,” or captain, threw the stone too lightly and it came up short. The U.S. team had two rocks in the target, putting them ahead 4-2.

In the next end, Canada blew its chance to score two points with its final rock when Koe threw a bit too hard. The Canadians had to settle for just one point, 4-3.

In the tenth and final end, U.S. skip John Shuster threw the last rock. It knocked the lone Canadian stone out of the center, sealing a 5-3 win.

(AP Photo: Tyler George, left, and Matt Hamilton celebrate after defeating Canada during the semifinal curling match.)