Team Gushue

CBC.CA - Torino 2006 - Curling - Headlines - Kleibrink reaches curling playoffs

Shannon Kleibrink prevailed 9-8 over Denmark in a tense round-robin finale at Pinerolo. (CP Photo/Andrew Vaughan)

Last Updated: Tue Feb 21 02:20:58 EST 2006
CBC Sports

Canada’s Shannon Kleibrink used a patchwork rink to reach the playoffs in women’s curling at the Torino Olympic Winter Games.

Kleibrink, who curls out of Calgary, needed a clutch shot on last rock in the 10th end to get past Dorthe Holm of Denmark 9-8 and clinch the final berth in the medal round at Pinerolo, located 50 kilometres from Turin.

Canada completed the round-robin in fourth place at 6-3 and will face Switzerland in Wednesday’s semifinals (8 a.m. EST).

“We’re going to have to be a lot better than we were out here tonight,” Kleibrink told CBC Sports. “It was a bit messy out there so we’re gonna go practising tomorrow and come out firing on Wednesday.”

Sweden meets Norway in the other semi.

Amy Nixon’s nagging stomach virus forced Canada to juggle its lineup on Monday, moving Glenys Bakker from second to third and inserting alternate Sandra Jenkins as second.

Denmark grabbed a 2-0 lead in the opening end, but Kleibrink capitalized on a couple of key misses by Holm to earn three on a free draw in the second.

Holm responded in kind in the third but Kleibrink answered right back, drawing to the back of the four-foot for three to lead 6-5 through four.

Kleibrink split the rings in the sixth and stole one when Holm’s final delivery hit but rolled out.

Holm made amends in the seventh, nudging a Canadian rock off the button with a nifty double-raise to score one and trail 7-6.

Canada’s sweepers then brushed Kleibrink’s soft draw far enough to earn a single point in the eighth, but Holm replied with a deuce on an open draw to tie it 8-8 through nine.

with files from CP Online

Copyright © CBC 2006

CBC.CA - Torino 2006 - Curling - Headlines - Gushue scrapes into curling playoffs

Brad Gushue looks relieved Monday as he clinches the win and the final playoff berth. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Last Updated: Tue Feb 21 02:23:10 EST 2006
CBC Sports

Canada’s Brad Gushue showed plenty of determination Monday in claiming the final playoff berth in men’s curling at the Torino Olympic Winter Games.

Gushue made three clutch shots in critical situations to beat Pete Fenson of the United States 6-3 in the 12th and final draw at Pinerolo, about 50 kilometres from Turin.

“It is nice knowing we are in the playoffs now,” Gushue said. “If we have two good games now, from here on in, we achieve our goal.”

With the win, Canada completed the preliminary round at 6-3, eliminated defending Olympic champion Paal Trulsen of Norway and set up a rematch with the U.S. (6-3) in Wednesday’s medal round (1 p.m. EST).

“They are going to want to beat us as much as we want to beat them,” said American vice Shawn Rojeski. “If we go out and play a good game together, we can win.”

Finland (7-2) finished first overall and faces Great Britain (6-3) in the other semifinal.

“That’s fine,” British skip David Murdoch said. “It’s what we expected.

“We get a chance to get our revenge on Finland. We are going in very confident.”

Fenson stole one in the first end when Gushue came up soft on a hit and stick, but the Canadian skip responded with a draw to count two in the fourth.

Gushue regained the hammer in the fourth with a splendid double-takeout that left Canada lying two, forcing Fenson to draw to the button for a single point.

Gushue blanked the sixth to retain last-rock advantage, then conceded a steal of one in the seventh when it picked on debris.

Trailing 3-2 in the eighth, Gushue bumped up to remove two American stones, then parlayed a precision takeout into two points for a 4-3 lead.

Fenson made a fatal mistake in the ninth, leaving two rocks vulnerable in the four foot and Gushue capitalized with a hit and roll to the button directly behind a Canadian guard.

That forced Fenson to concede one and put Canada ahead 5-3 heading home.

Gushue hit and stuck for one to complete the scoring in the 10th.

“I feel much better today than I was feeling in the last couple of days,” he said.

Also Monday, Germany embarrassed Denmark 10-1 and Switzerland humbled host Italy 10-2, both in six ends.

The Swiss (5-4) also needed a Canadian loss to force a Tuesday tiebreaker, so began rooting for the U.S.

“We could hear the Swiss yelling and stuff,” Fenson chuckled. “We expected that.”

with files from CP Online

Copyright © CBC 2006

CBC.CA - Torino 2006 - Curling - Headlines

Last Updated: Sun Feb 19 15:29:19 EST 2006
CBC Sports

Shannon Kleibrink improved to 5-3 with an 11-4 triumph over host Italy on Sunday. (CP Photo/Andrew Vaughan)

Canadian curler Shannon Kleibrink rebounded from a shocking loss to Japan by thumping Italy 11-4 at the Torino Olympic Winter Games.

Kleibrink, whose rink curls out of Calgary, improved to 5-3 with Sunday’s nine-end triumph at Pinerolo, located 50 kilometres from Turin.

Sweden (7-1) and Switzerland (6-2) have guaranteed themselves playoff berths with Canada and Norway (5-2) also in position to clinch.

The top four teams advance to the medal round with first-ranked rink facing the fourth and the second taking on the third.

Italy dropped to a tournament-worst 1-7 as skip Diana Gaspari struggled mightily, posting an accuracy rate of 49 per cent.

By comparison, Kleinbrink curled at a 75 per cent clip.

Kleibrink led 5-0 through three ends, opening with a single point and scoring deuces in both the second and third.

Kleinbrink drew inside for a steal of two to go ahead 7-2 in the fifth, but Gaspari got one back with a hit and stick on last rock in the sixth.

Lying two in the seventh, Gaspari put Kleibrink on the defensive by closing the lone port to the button with a high guard.

Kleibrink had no choice but to erase one Italian rock with a straight hit and concede the single point.

Kleibrink drew to the button for two in the eighth, then closed out the contest with a steal of two in the ninth.

Elsewhere, Switzerland scored three in the 10th to edge the United States 9-8, Japan stunned defending Olympic champion Rhona Martin of Great Britain 10-5 and Russia toppled Denmark 9-7.

In the men’s draw, Finland joined Great Britain and the United States in the medal round by virtue of a 7-4 victory over host Italy.

Canada’s Brad Gushue currently holds the upper hand on the fourth and final playoff berth, sitting fourth at 4-3 heading into Sunday’s game against winless New Zealand (0-7).

with files from CP Online
Copyright © CBC 2006

CBC.CA - Torino 2006 - Curling - Headlines - Gushue controls playoff destiny

Last Updated: Sun Feb 19 16:59:53 EST 2006
CBC Sports

Brad Gushue of St. John’s easily humbled New Zealand 9-1 in seven ends on Sunday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Canada’s Brad Gushue is breathing a bit easier in the men’s curling competition at the Torino Olympic Winter Games.

Gushue, who curls out of St. John’s, needed just seven ends Sunday to beat Sean Becker of New Zealand 9-1 at Pinerolo, Italy.

Gushue improved to 5-3 overall through 11 draws and currently sits fourth behind Finland (7-2), Great Britain (6-3) and the United States (6-2), all three of whom have qualified for the playoffs.

The top four teams advance to the medal round with first-ranked rink facing the fourth and the second taking on the third.

Canada can advance with a win over the U.S. on Monday. Should Canada lose, they will be tied with Norway (5-4) and the winner of Monday’s Switzerland-Italy contest.

If necessary, a tie-breaker to determine the final playoff spot would be held on Tuesday.

Gushue scored single points in first, second and fourth ends before blowing it open with back-to-back threes in the sixth and seventh.

Becker, still winless at 0-8, counted one in the fifth.

with files from CP Online
Copyright © CBC 2006

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