Canada played an all-around excellent game in posting a 10-4 victory over Japan this afternoon (Tuesday) at the world women’s curling championship in Prince George.
All four Canadian players curled 85% or higher.
Lead Briane Meilleur and Third Val Sweeting were both 92%, Skip Kerri Einarson was 88% and Second Shannon Birchard was 85%.
The top Japanese player was 75%.
“I thought we played really well and we knew that they were playing well coming into this,” said Einarson.
“We just needed to put some pressure on them and manage our rocks better.”
Canada picked up deuces in ends two, four, and nine and put the game away with three in the eighth.
Japan was held to singles in ends one, three, five, and seven despite having the hammer in each.
With Canada up 4-3 in the sixth end, Einarson made a clutch draw to the button for one while facing two Japan stones in the house.
Both teams are 4-2 with all four Canadian wins coming in the afternoon (Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and today).
In other action this afternoon in Draw 10 of the championship, Switzerland improved to 6-0 with an 8-5 victory over Norway, the USA got by Germany 8-7, giving the Americans a 4-2 record and Denmark is 4-2 after defeating the Czech Republic 8-6 in an extra end.
The next game for Canada will be at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday) against 5-1 Sweden.
“We have to come out and play really well,” Einarson said.
“Every team we do not take lightly, it doesn’t matter who they are.”
The Swedes will play Japan in tonight’s draw at 7:00.
The top six teams make the playoffs.
Qualification games go Saturday at 1:00 p.m. with the semi-finals Saturday night at 7:00.
Medal games hit the ice Sunday at 11:00 a.m. (for bronze) and 4:00 p.m. (for gold).
The full standings can be found here.
The full schedule and results are right here.
– with files from Darin Bain