After loss to China, every path to curling gold for Canada starts with beating Denmark

Canada's Jennifer Jones, directs her teammates, during the women's curling match against China, at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Beijing. (Nariman El-Mofty/AP Photo)

Canada's Jennifer Jones must win her round-robin finale and get a little bit of help to advance to the Olympic curling semifinals in Beijing after the Winnipeg skip suffered a costly loss on Wednesday.

China's Han Yu (4-5) snapped Jones' three-game winning streak and dropped Canada's record to 4-4 with an 11-9 triumph in an extra end.

With one game left in the round-robin, Canada is tied for fourth with Great Britain and South Korea. The top four teams advance to the semifinals.

If Canada beats Denmark (2-6) on Thursday at 1:05 a.m. ET, Jones has a good shot to advance -- though it is not guaranteed.

Six of eight scenarios with Canada winning in the final draw get Jones a semifinal spot. The other two scenarios force results in the pre-game draw-shot challenge to be used -- and Canada's poor ranking means it would likely be eliminated if it goes that way.

Jones, the 2014 Olympic champ, missed a runback with two Chinese stones near the button on the final shot in a wild game on Wednesday.

The Winnipeg skip trailed 3-0 after giving up steals in the first two ends, but roared in front 8-5 after scoring five in a huge sixth end.

However, China then scored a deuce and stole one in the eighth to tie it at 8-8.

Earlier Wednesday, Jones beat American Tabitha Peterson 7-6 by scoring the decisive single with hammer in the 10th.

Canada wraps up round-robin play on Thursday at 1:05 a.m. ET against Denmark (2-6).

Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni leads the way at 7-1, followed by Sweden (6-2) and Japan (5-3).

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