Canada’s chances at playing for an Olympic mixed doubles gold medal came down to millimeters.
With the score tied 7-7 in an extra end, Canada’s Rachel Homan threw a shot that needed to land square on the button to avoid a steal of one and a loss to Italy.
Homan’s throw easily glided into the 4-foot and bounced on an Italian stone. After looking at the house and seeing one stone from each team nearly next to each other, a measurement that had to go around twice finally revealed Italy’s stone was fractions of an inch closer to the center, giving the Italians an 8-7 win.
After getting upset by Australia in Session 12 of round robin play, Canada came into their final game needing a win to move on to the mixed doubles tournament semifinals.
They would have to go through the hottest team in the Games to do it. Their opponent, Italy, was unbeaten in the 2022 Olympics to that point.
Thanks to two points in the fourth end, Italy led 4-2 at the break.
Canada was able to tie the score in the fifth, one of two ties in the game.
In the seventh, Italy’s Stefania Constantini just barely missed on a triple takeout attempt on her team’s final throw, and Canada took advantage, getting a draw shot and scoring three points in their power play end to go into the final frame up 7-5.
Italy played its power play in the eighth, and came away with two to tie the score and force extras.
The loss leaves Canada 5-4 overall in these Games, alone in fifth place in the standings. The loss also allowed Sweden, also 5-4, to jump Canada in the standings to reach the semifinals because Sweden defeated Homan and John Morris earlier in the tournament.
Italy (9-0) will take on Sweden in the semifinals Monday at 7:05 a.m. ET. The winner will move on to the gold medal game.
Italy defeated Sweden 12-8 when the two teams met up in round robin play on Sunday.
In other games around the ice Sunday
Norway scored one point in the first two ends, two in the sixth and stole another in the eighth as part of a 6-5 win over Switzerland in Session 13.
Norway came into the final session of mixed doubles play having already clinched a spot in the semifinals, but they needed a win to move up in the standings.
Switzerland finishes their Olympics 3-6 and in seventh place.
Norway (6-3) will next take on Great Britain (6-3) in the tournament semifinals. They’ll also play at 7:05 a.m. ET Monday. Norway defeated Team GBR, 6-2, when the teams faced off earlier in the tournament.
The winner of Norway/Great Britain will play the winner of Italy/Sweden in the gold medal game on Tuesday at 7:05 a.m. ET.
Czech Republic 7, China 6
Both the Czech Republic and China were mathematically eliminated from reaching the semifinals before Session 13 of round robin play.
Looking to finish the tournament on a high note, Czech stole a point in the eighth for the 7-6 win.
China scored three points in the third, and stole one point in each of the fourth and fifth to take a 6-1 lead.
Czech responded with a 4-point end in the sixth and a steal of one in the seventh to tie the score going into the final frame.
With hammer in the eighth, China’s SuYuan Fan's draw shot attempt went through the house, allowing Czech to steal a point for the win.
Czech Republic finishes their Olympics 4-5 and in sixth place. China finishes 2-7 and in ninth place.
