Unlike the other men’s curling semifinal that was high-scoring and energetic, Thursday’s semifinal game between Sweden and Canada was much more tactical.
With four blanked ends and only eight total points scored, It was one point by Sweden in the eighth that ultimately was the decider in a 5-3 victory.
The win by Sweden sends the team to the gold medal game for the second straight Olympics. The same team, skipped by Niklas Edin, will return to fight for the gold medal they missed out on in 2018.
In Thursday’s semifinal, Brad Gushue missed a cross-house double takeout on Canada’s final throw in the fourth, rolling it over and out of the house. The miss set up a draw shot for Edin, who landed it onto the Olympic rings in the center for two points and a 3-1 lead.
Canada got two right back in the fifth on a similarly easy draw shot for Gushue that tied the score at 3-3 at the halfway break.
After two blanked ends, Sweden got one in the eighth on a draw that stopped just in time to give Edin’s team the lead again, 4-3. It was a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Canada blanked the ninth to keep hammer in the tenth. In the final end, Edin’s final throw knocked out Canada’s stone lying in the 4-foot and spun enough to still be sitting for points.
Gushue’s hammer throw took out a Swedish stone, but missed rolling into scoring position by inches, giving Sweden a steal of one and the 2-point win.
Edin’s team took home silver in the 2018 Olympics after falling to Team USA in the gold medal game. They'll take on Great Britain in the finals on Saturday at 1:05 a.m. ET.
Canada will look to get back on the Olympic podium after missing out in 2018. Gushue’s team will take on Team USA on Friday at 1:05 a.m. ET in the bronze medal game.
