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Canada’s Brett Gallant, Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert needed an extra end to do it, but they topped Norway in Thursday’s semi-final to book their spot in Saturday’s gold-medal game against Great Britain.Misper Apawu/The Associated Press
Team Brad Jacobs will play for Olympic gold in Cortina on Saturday.
The Canadian men’s curling team needed an extra end to beat Norway 5-4 in a nervy Thursday semi-final at the Winter Games and punch a ticket to the gold medal game. Team Jacobs wrapped one another in bear hugs to celebrate once it was official.
Bruce Mouat’s Great Britain team now awaits Canada, silver medalists at the 2022 Olympics. Mouat has won two of the last three men’s world curling championships. Team G.B. beat Switzerland 8-5 in its semi.
“They’re the No. 1 team in the world for a reason, so looking forward to … another battle,” said Jacobs. “Two heavyweight teams going at it should be a really entertaining game for everybody.”
While Canada went 7-2 in round robin play, Team Mouat went 5-4 but came on in recent days and then delivered Switzerland its first loss of the Olympics in the semi-final.
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“There’s so much history in our sport, and a lot of it goes back to Scotland versus Canada,” said Mouat. “Our first ever World Championship final, we played Canada, in Canada. So now getting to play an Olympic gold medal game against Canada is pretty special. It’s really good for our sport.”
Jacobs and his Canadian teammates each have Olympic medals at home, but this is their first time at the Games together.
Ben Hebert and Marc Kennedy won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics as young front end players for skip Kevin Martin. Brett Gallant earned bronze with Brad Gushue’s rink at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Jacobs brought home gold from Sochi in 2014.
Kennedy called it surreal to be back in an Olympic gold medal final 16 years after his first.
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Canada will be looking to end a 12-year gold medal drought in curling. The country last won gold at the 2014 Games in Sochi.FRANCOIS-XAVIER MARIT/AFP/Getty Images
“I’m same as Ben. I didn’t think I’d still be playing at this age. I semi-retired six years ago,” said Kennedy. “So to be back here is pretty incredible, and to be with these guys [I’m] really proud of my team.”
Team Canada wound up at the centre of a curling controversy after Kennedy dropped an angry expletive while wearing a hot mic on ice after Swedish player Oskar Eriksson accused him of double-touching a stone after the hog line.
“It’s been a harder week than most people could ever imagine,” said Kennedy.
Canada went 7-2 and finished in second place, but a low-scoring semi-final against Norway on Thursday was the most white-knuckled of their journey.
The two teams scattered singles and blank ends all night until they finally woke the place up late in the game.
Jacobs made a double takeout to score one in the ninth, giving Norway the hammer for the last end. Team Magnus Ramsfjell seized the opportunity to draw for a score of two and send it to an extra end.
Some wild shots by the Canadian skipper marked the night, like a hit and roll for a steal, the chip in the eighth to only give Norway one, or the draw in the extra end.
“You don’t win these without a guy playing like that,” Kennedy said of Canada’s skip. “So I’ve been lucky to have some of the best skips in the world, and just consider myself extremely grateful to have this opportunity again.”
Their coach, Paul Webster, echoed that.
“He’s one of the best last rock throwers in the world over the last 15, 16 years,” said Webster.
The coach hoped Canadians back home have a full weekend of memorable classic Olympic matchups to watch.
“We’re excited to play Canada versus Scotland in the Olympic final,” added Webster. “I hope Canada plays the U.S. in the men’s hockey final, and we just all bring home gold and just drink maple syrup together.”
