Cheryl Bernard hollers after throwing her rock against Sweden at the Vancouver Olympics on Monday. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
Canada clinched a playoff spot in women’s curling with a decisive 6-2 win over Sweden at the Vancouver Olympics on Monday.
In what was billed as a potential preview of the of the Olympic gold-medal match, Canada easily slid past Sweden’s reigning Olympic gold medallist, Anette Norberg.
Canadian skip Cheryl Bernard’s rink had been criticized for not having enough international experience heading into the Games.
“Our lack of international experience is probably over now,” Bernard said after Monday’s game “That for us is a really excellent thing because that was kind of a monkey on our back coming in here, that we didn’t have any.”
Bernard was back in top form for the match after falling to China 6-5 in extra ends on Sunday night.
Canada and Sweden carried identical 5-1 records into Monday’s match, with the winner taking sole possession of first place and clinching a spot in the playoffs. Sweden won 9-3 over the Americans on Sunday.
Bernard took control of the match early, scoring a deuce with her hammer in the second end.
The Swedish rink struggled throughout the match, with Norberg missing essential draws in the third and fourth ends, giving Canada a chance to steal twice and go ahead 4-0.
Canada led 4-1 through the sixth end and didn’t look back.
In the seventh end, Canada’s last rock had to be measured, but counted for one. In the eighth, Sweden wrecked the guard with a takeout, and Canada stole a point.
In the ninth Canadian alternate Kristie Moore, who is five months pregnant, made an appearance.
“It was pretty clean,” said Moore, who would receive a medal if Canada makes the podium even if she didn’t physically compete.
“It brings back memories of when I played in the world junior finals way back, and it will be incredible that one day I can tell my baby that I was in the Olympics.”
Sweden hit and rolled for a single in the ninth end, then conceded by shaking hands with their opponents, unable to catch the Canadians.
In other round-robin action on Monday, Switzerland took sole possession of fourth place with a 10-4 win over Japan. Denmark edged Britain 9-7 while Russia surprised China 7-4.
China sits in third place, behind Sweden.
The Canadian women will be back on the ice Tuesday morning to take on Britain. A win would clinch the tournaments’ No.1 seed.
Though some might suggest Canada will suffer a bit of a letdown in its remaining round-robin games after clinching a playoff berth, Bernard said that won’t be the case.
“It’s so vital [to win the last two games],” Bernard said. “You don’t want to just slide in. You want to go [into the playoffs] strong.”
with files from The Canadian Press
Steve Omischl, above, is one of three Canadians who advanced Monday to the two-jump final in Olympic men’s aerials at Cypress Mountain. (Odd Andersen/Associated Press)