Canada skip Kerri Einarson makes a shot against Sweden in a qualification game at the Women's World Curling Championship, in Calgary, in a May 8, 2021, file photo.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Aberdeen Canada’s Kerri Einarson and Brad Gushue swept their games Tuesday to improve to 3-0 at the world mixed doubles curling championship.
They beat Germany’s Pia-Lisa Schoell and Klaudius Harsch 9-6 in the early game before posting a 7-5 win over Hungary’s Dorottya Palancsa and Zsolt Kiss at the Curl Aberdeen facility.
Down two without hammer, the Hungarian duo missed a difficult angle-raise with its last shot and Canada didn’t have to throw its final stone.
“It was much more of a textbook game and I thought we played really well,” Gushue said. “But even though we played it real well, still textbook, it’s still real stressful in the last end of mixed doubles.
“There’s still so much that can happen and there’s no lead that’s really comfortable.”
The Canadians (3-0) were tied with Scotland and the Czech Republic atop Group A. Germany was 2-1 while Hungary fell to 1-2.
Norway, Sweden and the United States led the Group B standings at 2-0 entering the late draw.
Canada has another two-game day on tap Wednesday with matchups against Australia (0-3) and South Korea (1-2).
“I think we’re getting better each game and just trying to learn the ice and the paths and figure it out,” Einarson said.
Einarson, from Camp Morton, Man., and Gushue, from St. John’s, must finish in the top seven to secure a spot for Canada in the mixed doubles discipline at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Canada is one of 20 teams entered in the competition.
Gushue and Einarson are trying to become the first Canadian team to win gold in the event’s 13-year history. Canada has reached the podium (two silver, one bronze) at the past three editions of the competition.
The top team in each 10-team pool advances to the semi-finals. The second- and third-place teams in each pool will cross over and play qualification games.
Competition continues through Sunday.