Denmark 6, Norway 5 (11 ends)
Denmark got the one point it needed when it needed it for a first win in the 2022 Olympics. Denmark defeated Norway, 6-5, in 11 ends Monday.
Norway’s Steffen Walstad had an open hit for two that they missed at the end of the fifth set, allowing Denmark to steal one and take a 3-1 lead at the halfway break.
Walstad didn’t miss his chance the second time. On the last stone of the sixth, he sailed it in for a takeout and stick on the button for two points that tied the score with four ends to play.
The two teams traded single points for the rest of regulation from there. Norway tied the score in the tenth with the shot clock winding down below 10 seconds. Walstad got the shot off just in time, and got the takeout needed to score one and force an extra end.
In the 11th, it was Denmark’s Mikkel Krause who stayed calm under pressure. With one throw remaining, the final rock had issues and needed to be tightened, leading to a lengthy delay that could have rattled the skip. Once the rock was fixed, Krause sent his stone down the ice and made the perfect hit and stick for one point and the win.
Norway (2-4) will return to play at 8:05 p.m. Monday to take on the ROC.
Denmark (1-5) will also play at 8:05 p.m. against Sweden.
Canada 7, Italy 3
Canada improved to 4-2 in the Olympics with a 7-3 victory over Italy in nine ends Monday.
The two teams were tied 2-2 at the halfway mark. Canada held Italy scoreless for three straight ends in the fifth, sixth, and seventh.
Italy’s Joel Retornaz tried for a triple takeout on his last stone in the sixth, but could only come away with two, setting up an easy draw for two for Canada to break the early tie.
In the ninth, Canada took out Italy’s only lying stone to sit three in the house with one throw left per team.
Italy responded with a takeout attempt, but only manage to get rid of one Canadian stone while also losing theirs as it went through the house. Brad Gushue then landed a wide open draw on Canada’s hammer to score three and force Italy to concede the rest of the game.
Canada (4-2) will next take on China at 8:05 p.m. ET Monday.
Italy (1-5) will take a session off and return to the ice at 7:05 a.m. ET Tuesday when they take on Team USA.
Sweden 7, ROC 5
Sweden played perfectly in a 7-5 win over the team from the Russian Olympic Committee Monday, and remained perfect in round robin play this Olympics with the win.
Sweden’s Niklas Edin sent a shot around two ROC guards that curled into the 4-foot for two points and a 6-3 lead at the end of seven.
ROC skip Sergei Glukhov responded with two right back in the eighth on a takeout that stuck, cutting Sweden’s lead to one with two ends to play.
Sweden played the ninth perfectly, blanking the end to keep hammer and the 1-point advantage going into the tenth.
Edin was also perfect in the tenth, coming away with a takeout on Sweden’s final throw to score one more in the tenth for the win.
The ROC (3-3) will next take on Norway at 8:05 p.m. ET Monday. Sweden (6-0) will play at the same time against Denmark.
Great Britain 6, Switzerland 5
Great Britain only scored more than one point in one end Monday night, but the single points were enough for a single point victory over Switzerland, 6-5.
Great Britain scored two in the fourth end, and Switzerland responded with one in the fifth to go into the halftime break trailing 3-2.
Switzerland stole another point in the sixth to tie, but Great Britain scored one in the seventh to again take the lead..\
In the eighth, Switzerland’s Benoit Schwarz sent a rocket down the ice to try for a triple takeout on the hammer throw, but was unsuccessful, allowing GBR to steal another point and go up by two.
Switzerland tried for a big end in the ninth, and Schwarz was successful on a throw that landed two stones on the inside, but the throw came up just a few inches shy of also rolling inside, which would have given the Swiss three points and the lead. Instead, they settled for two and a 5-5 tie going into the tenth.
In the final end, Schwarz’s final throw went right onto the button directly in front of a GBR stone, leaving just a few centimeters between the two. On Britain’s counter throw, Bruce Mouat sent a hard shot inside, taking out both stones and lying one to give GBR the win.
Switzerland (3-3) will play next against Team USA at 8:05 p.m. ET Monday.
Great Britain (5-1) will take a session off and return to the ice at 7:05 a.m. ET Tuesday to play Sweden.
Men's curling standings
1 - Sweden (6-0)
2 - Great Britain (5-1)
3 - Canada (4-2)
4 - ROC (3-3)
4 - Switzerland (3-3)
4 - Team USA (3-3)
7 - China (2-4)
7 - Norway (2-4)
9 - Denmark (1-5)
9 - Italy (1-5)
