Czechia took down two giants in Team China and Team Scotland, but they couldn't take down the third giant in Canada during Wednesday evening's draw at the BKT World Men's Curling Championship at Temple Gardens Centre.
Canada stole a total of eight points throughout the game to grind out an 8-3 win. It wasn't their best performance, only curling 86 per cent as a team.
Third Marc Kennedy talked about the mental toughness needed to win a game like that, as well as getting through the week.
"The mental toughness is just, okay, let’s regroup, another end, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let’s not get stuck on a miss. Let’s stay very present and focus on our job. You’ve got to do that 12 games against the best teams in the world," Kennedy said.
A number of rocks came up light in this game, as the teams continued to adjust to the ice conditions.
"We’re seeing a little bit of different ice surfaces almost every game, and that’s not a bad thing, by the way. The surface is unbelievable. The icemakers are doing a great job keeping us as players on our toes. It’s really important to just go out there and collectively read the sheet," said skip Brad Jacobs.
Without last rock in the first, Jacobs drew the button with his last rock partly buried to lay two. Czechia skip Luka Klima came up light on his draw, and Canada stole two to start the game.
In the second, Czechia got on the board with Klima making a hit and roll for one with his last rock.
Jacobs was left with a double with his last rock for two in the third end. He made the double but lost his shooter and only came away with one point.
In the fourth, Klima made a tap-back on a Canadian rock in the four-foot to pick up one.
The fifth end started setting up nicely for Canada. Third Marc Kennedy made an in-off his own rock to lay two with the hammer. Klima made a light take-out, which forced Jacobs to draw for one, giving Canada a 4-2 lead at the fifth-end break.
Already laying one in the sixth end, Jacobs made a perfect freeze to a Czechian stone to sit two. Klima had a difficult double run-back that he missed for a steal of two and a 6-2 lead for Canada.
Klima was left with an open hit for one in the seventh, giving the hammer back to Canada in the eighth.
With one rock already counting, Jacobs drew to the side of the button for two to take an 8-3 win.
In other action
Austria picked up their first win of the championship as they defeated Korea 11-4.
The United States picked up three in the third and stole in the fourth and fifth for a 9-6 win over Japan.
Switzerland opened with three points and held on to a 7-3 win over Germany.