Through two days of mixed doubles competition at the Olympics, nobody has been more clutch than Canada’s Jocelyn Peterman.
Peterman and her husband, Brett Gallant, cruised through Thursday’s games. First versus Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten, winning 6-3. And then later, upsetting Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner 7-2, who are the defending Olympic gold medallists.
Both were teams that many thought Canada might struggle against.
For Italy’s Constantini and Mosaner, they had their 23-game winning streak snapped. The duo went 11-0 at both the 2022 Olympics and the 2025 world mixed doubles curling championship before also picking up a win in their opening match before facing Canada on Thursday.
The last time Constantini and Mosaner lost was at the world mixed doubles curling championship in 2021.
However, Canada wasn’t the only country to rack up two wins on Thursday.
Thursday, Feb. 5 results (Full scores and standings)
Draw 2
Great Britain 10, Estonia 5
Sweden 7, Czechia 4
United States 8, Norway 6
Italy 8, Korea 4
Draw 3
United States 7, Switzerland 4
Canada 6, Norway 3
Draw 4
Canada 7, Italy 2
Switzerland 8, Korea 5
Estonia 7, Sweden 5
Great Britain 8, Czechia 7
Peterman has ice in her veins
Forget just getting on the podium, through three games, Canada has to be the favourite to win the gold medal with the way Peterman is shooting.
It was on full display Thursday.
While playing Norway in the third end, Peterman was facing two on the button with no noise hit available. So, instead, Peterman played a runback trying to hit a triple takeout to score two.
She made it with ease, getting the two and a 3-1 lead for Canada.
In Canada’s second game of the day vs. Italy, it was more of the same from Peterman.
Constantini was able to get shot rock while throwing her last stone, but left the door open for Peterman to make Italy pay and pay in a big way.
Peterman drilled yet another beautiful short runback to hang a crooked five on the board in the first end, leaving all the Italian fans in the building shocked.
However, it wasn’t just Peterman's last stones that led to Canada’s commanding victories.
Her first rock in each end was just as important, because it set Gallant up for a great second shot where Canada could go on the attack or force their opponents when they were without hammer.
When Italy elected to use their power play in the fourth end, trailing 6-1, Peterman shut down any opportunity Italy had to generate a big end.
She made a nice tap-back on her own guard to sit shot rock on the corner of Italy’s rock, the perfect position for the rock to end up. Peterman followed it up by making a nice cross-rings double-takeout on her last shot. Italy only scored one in the end.
The pressure of throwing the last rock can get to people, especially in a tournament like this, but for Peterman, she is rising to the occasion.
USA starts with two big wins
Coming into the tournament, the United States, just like Canada, was expected to be in contention to make the playoffs, but after two big wins, they might be a threat to medal.
Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin started the day against Norway, earning an impressive 8-6 victory before beating Switzerland’s Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann and Yannick Schwaller 7-4.
Thiesse and Dropkin got better in each game, shooting a combined 79 per cent versus Norway and 81 per cent against Switzerland.
Norway in a big hole after two days
The 2022 Olympic silver medalists are in deep trouble to even make the playoffs this time around.
After dropping their opening match vs. Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat 8-6, Skaslien and Nedregotten hoped to get in the win column on Thursday.
However, the United States and Canada had other plans.
The Norwegian’s started strong against the United States, putting three on the board in the second end and had themselves in position to win the game tied 6-6 in the eighth end.
Costly mistakes by Skaslien and Nedregotten in the eighth end cost them, and they gave up a steal of two to lose 8-6.
Skalien has struggled in all three games thus far. Her percentages have gone as follows: 58 versus Great Britain, 67 versus the United States, 69 versus Canada.
Not only will Skalien need to improve her game, but the Norwegian’s will also need to be nearly perfect the rest of the way if they want a chance of even making the playoffs.
Day three of the mixed doubles curling competition gets underway at 4:05 a.m. ET/ 1:05 a.m. PT with Canada’s only match of the day against the United States happening at that time.
