Clutch shooting by Peterman keys Team Canada’s second straight mixed doubles win at 2026 Olympic Games
It took all their shot-making ability, a lot of patience and trust in each other but Team Canada’s Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant scored a second straight win Thursday at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games in mixed doubles curling.
The husband-and-wife team leaned on each other throughout tight early rounds and ultimately emerged with a 6-3 win over Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten, medallists in the last two Olympic Games. Both teams had their hands full with changing ice conditions at the 70-year-old Cortina Olympic Stadium, especially in the fourth end when finding draw weight caused some difficulties.
“I think our communication in the game, chatting what the rocks and about seeing with the ice,” Peterman said of their strengths in the match. “And not letting any frustration creep in.”
Peterman’s ability to execute under pressure with her final stones proved pivotal throughout the match.
“It wasn’t our highest statistical game but we made a lot of the right shots at the right time,” said Gallant. “That triple Jocelyn made in the third end was a four-point swing, a key shot. We made the draws when we got in trouble to get out of it.”
A perfectly executed thin double by Gallant got Canada out of trouble and led to a steal of one in the first end when Skaslien wrecked on a guard with her final stone. After Gallant and Nedregotten traded well-executed angled raise tap backs in the second end, Skaslien redeemed herself with a delicate tick of one Norwegian stone to move it an inch to count a single for an early tie.
But Canada created a little room on the scoreboard in the third when the first two stones by Nedregotten and Skaslien both wrecked on guards. It still took a great angle raise runback double by Peterman – described by Gallant as a clutch last-rock thrower – to give Canada two and a 3-1 margin.
Skaslien rubbed a guard with her final stone in the fourth to give Canada another steal. Both teams had draw shots come up well short of the house before they figured out the different ice condition.
Neither team could take advantage of their power plays in the fifth and sixth ends, trading singles and leaving Canada with a 5-2 edge. Peterman made a tight double takeout with her final stone to force Norway to a single in the fifth and Skaslien’s delicate tap of Nedregotten’s stone left Canada with no choice but to draw one in the sixth. Power plays allow the team to set two of their own stones, one in the house and one a guard, before the end begins.
The Norwegian pair counted one in the seventh to give themselves hope going into the eighth and final end. After Gallant rolled out on his hit-and-roll attempt, Skaslien made her hit-and-roll to leave Norway counting two.
But, again, Peterman, who had made a number of end-saving shots throughout the game, came up clutch with her final stone, drawing the button for a single and the victory.
“Pretty win and we’ll have to have a few more of those this week,” said Gallant.
The loss dropped Norway to 0-3 and put them in difficulty of making the playoffs for a chance at a third straight medal. Canada, now 2-0, will have a few hours to savour the win and get themselves prepared to meet the defending Olympic champions, Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, in the evening draw. The Italian twosome hasn’t lost a game in World or Olympic competition.
