Canada falls to Sweden, earns silver in the men’s curling world championship
Team Dunstone’s run at the men’s world championship ended in a silver, as Canada fell 9-6 to Sweden in the final in Ogden, Utah on Saturday.
The team of Matt Dunstone, third Colton Lott, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden went 10-2 in the qualification round, then went on to edge out both Italy and Scotland by scores of 9-7 to earn a spot in the gold medal game.
Dunstone and company fought hard to keep the game tight, including a beautiful shot to end the seventh end, knocking out two Swedish stones to close the gap to 6-5.
In the end, Sweden’s Niklas Edin controlled the result, scoring two points in each of the ends he held the last stone.
On the final shot of the evening in the tenth end, Dunstone could not hit the counter, missing just left of a stationary Canadian stone to seal the win for Sweden.
Standing between Canada and the men’s title has become something of a routine for Niklas Edin. The Swede has skipped to six of the last eight men’s world championship’s; every single one of them coming with a win against Canada in the final.
Edin now has eight world championship golds – the most of any male curler.
Four-time Brier champion, E.J. Harnden announced in December this would be the last year of his professional curling career. Harnden, 42, was a part of the gold medal winning team in Sochi 2014.
Canada hasn’t had a gold at the men’s world’s since 2017, but has managed to take home a medal in every tournament except one in 2021. The men’s world championship will be held in Saint John, N.B. in 2027.