Canada one win away from gold
If Kevin Koe and Co. can keep it going on Sunday, they’ll have a very good chance of snapping Canada’s three year gold drought at the world men’s curling championship.
Koe, Marc Kennedy, Brent Laing and Ben Hebert were lights out on Friday in Basel, Switzerland, dispatching Denmark’s Rasmus Stjerne 5-3 in the 1-2 Page playoff game. Canada, which topped the field with a 10-1 round robin mark, will play in Sunday’s final.
Denmark, meanwhile, will meet the winner of the 3-4 playoff game between American John Shuster and Japan’s Yusuke Morozumi in the semifinal. Both of those games will take place on Saturday.
Koe won the 2010 world championship with a different team, and Laing was on Glenn Howard’s foursome in 2012, the last Canadian crew to mine gold — also in Basel. The three remaining teams have no such experience, which means the final is Canada’s game to lose, no matter who the opponent is.
“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” Koe said after the victory. “This is a chance to be a world champion again, and those opportunities are just so few and far between, especially trying to get out of Canada.
“So, obviously, we want to win for Canada, to get another gold, but it’s a great chance for us to win again for the team to cap off a great year.”
KILLER KOE
The key shot came in the seventh end, when Koe’s final stone, an in- turn draw, bit the button to score three and give the Canucks a commanding 5-2 lead. It was a great example of shooting, sweeping and calling on Canada’s part, because he had little room to manoeuvre.
“It was an extremely difficult shot,” Laing told reporters.
“He had to draw dead tee line, beside our rock. But he’s made those all year. You know he’s always going to be close, and then it’s in our hands. But Ben and I had a quick chat before Denmark threw its last shot. We said they could make it tough on us, but we’re going to have that draw, so let’s make it. Fortu- nately we judged it right and made it.”
THEN AGAIN
Koe was great when he had to be in the seventh end, but he wasn’t his usual sharp self on a couple of other occasions.
He missed an easy draw to the top of the eight foot in the fifth end, going all the way to button instead, that allowed Denmark to hit and stick for one and a 2-2 tie. He would have forced Stjerne to make a tough draw had he made the shot.
It’s something to think about going into Sunday’s final.
LATE HITS
Canada will watch Saturday’s action, giving it its first day off during the event.
“We’re playing well, and I have no problem with a day off,” Koe said. “We’ll have a good practice (Saturday), hang out with our family and friends, and just relax. Just take ’er easy and be ready for Sunday.” ... On Friday, Warren Hansen became the 16th Canadian to be inducted into the World Curling Federation Hall of Fame. Hansen worked for Curling Canada for 42 years.