Team Koe set for Sweden clash

GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA Something’s going to have to give Saturday afternoon at the Gangneung Curling Centre.

In one corner you have the Calgary rink of Kevin Koe, the 2016 world champion who ran his record to 4-0 Friday with a 7-6 win over South Korea.

In the other you have Sweden’s Niklas Edin, a two-time world champ and Olympic bronze medallist who edged Great Britain 8-6 to also improve to 4-0.

Both teams are at the top of their games and are good bets to meet for the gold medal next week.

“I thought that was our best game yet,” Koe said after the win over South Korea. “That’s where we want to be. We’re not yet halfway and I feel like we’re improving, so that’s a good sign. We definitely haven’t peaked.”

Koe and teammates Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing and Ben He bert were in top form against the Koreans and were in control despite starting without the hammer.

They forced the Koreans to take one in the second end, then took charge with three in the third. By the eighth the lead was up to 7-3 and it was just a matter of time before the Koreans were run out of rocks.

“We are going to have to play our best every game and that was one of our best ,” He bert said .“If we can keep that game going, I like our chances of being there at the end of the week.”

Though carrying the pressure that comes with Canada’ s history at the Olympics — Canada has won gold in men’s curling at the last three Winter Games — the Koe crew doesn’ t seem to be feeling the heat at all.

“It’s always fun when you’ re winning ,” said He bert. Ted Wyman