Canada took its first loss at the BKT World Men’s Curling Championship on Monday afternoon at the Temple Gardens Centre, losing to Scotland.
Down by two with the last rock coming home, skip Brad Jacobs made a highlight-reel shot to force an extra end, but Scotland came out on top 6-5.
“Flip the hammer—that was kind of the goal at the fifth-end break, to have the hammer back with the peel game. We did that, and we were obviously trying to score our two,” said Scottish skip Bruce Mouat.
Canada opened with the hammer, and Jacobs had a hit for one. He rolled to the point where they needed to measure the rocks; his stone stopped just in time for one point.
Scotland took full advantage in the second end with the hammer, picking up three points to take the lead.
In the third, a nice hit and roll by third Marc Kennedy got Canada out of trouble. Jacobs was then left with an open draw for two to tie the game at three.
Another nice hit and roll behind a centre-line guard by Kennedy in the fourth led to Scotland blanking to keep the hammer. Bruce Mouat and Team Scotland also blanked the fifth end to keep the game tied 3-3 at the break.
Scotland also blanked ends six and seven. In the eighth, Kennedy made a perfect freeze to a Scottish stone at the back of the button. That freeze forced Mouat to throw his last rock through and only take one point.
Canada was facing three in the ninth end. Jacobs made a double takeout to give up one and trail 5-3 but held the hammer for the 10th and final end.
“We’ve seen lots of threes out there. We’ve lost games giving up three this season, so we know there are threes to be had,” Jacobs said about the decision to give up one.
In the 10th end, Jacobs was left with a difficult long-run back triple takeout, which he made for two to force the extra end.
With last rock, Mouat was about to pick up his one to get the 6-5 extra-end win.
In other action
Norway scored one in the 10th end to secure a 7-6 win over the United States.
Switzerland led control for most of the game as they handed China their first loss 7-4.
Sweden stole points in ends five and six for a 6-3 victory.