Draw 12 of the 2026 Men’s curling Olympic round-robin portion featured Canada vs. Norway. Entering the game already guaranteed no worse than second-rank for the semi-finals, the Canadian team sat starting lead Ben Hebert. The 42-year-old was given the game off, despite Team Norway being destined to give their all. If the Norwegians could topple the favorites, they’d take control of their own destiny by clinching a final-four spot.
Team Norway dominated the first half of this one. The typically strong Canadian team had no answer through five ends. After securing three in the first, they’d force the Canadians to one without hammer, while scoring two with it, for the next four ends. It was 7-2 at the break.
The Canadian team showed great poise when play resumed. Second, Brett Gallant had some issues locking in the take-outs, but skip Brad Jacobs led them through the fog, forcing the skip of the opposition, Magnus Ramsfjell, into more difficult predicaments. They hammered home three points in the sixth end, followed by stealing one in the seventh. The lead was cut to one with two to go.
Team Canada recorded a steal of one in the seventh, before forcing Team Norway to a single in the eighth. After blanking the ninth, it was 8-6 with only one more scheduled end.
A draw that went too deep seemed to really hammer the nail in the coffin. Team Canada’s third, Marc Kennedy, threw his first stone too deep in the house, putting the team in a deep hole. Jacob’s first shot was a take-out, which unintentionally rolled out. This left Team Norway with a take-out to finish the game. With a spot in the playoffs on the line, Ramsfjell pulled up with ice in the veins. The end finished early with handshakes.
The semi-finals are set. Team Great Britain and Team Switzerland face off in the other game, while it’s a rematch of the Canadian team facing Norway for the other spot in the final.
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