U.S. Men’s Curling Team Finds A Way to save the Win in the Tenth End against Norway

A fabulous start, a nervy two ends, but got the job done at the finish line

Cortina Bay, ITA- The U.S. Men’s curling Team had a big challenge to take on Norway in their second match of the day. What looked like a fantastic match and a strong performance got very nervy in the back end of two of the three ends as the Norwegians got back into the match and leveled it. But when the last end was played, Team USA found a way to take the win, and they celebrated, earning the final score of ten-to-eight with some magical hammer throws from Daniel Casper.

OVerview

The USA got off to a hot start, scoring five points in the first three ends of the match. After scoring a point in the first end, the USA got two points in the next two ends. As the USA set up the house with their stones, Magnus Ramsfjell overthrew the hammer down the sheet and knocked out his own stone to help the USA get those points, and in the third end, it was another mishap from Norway. Magnus Ramsjfell as he tried to cut the speed down on his throw of the hammer, and it went through and out of the entire house without touching a single stone from the USA or his own.

After Norway finally got on the board and scored in two consecutive ends to make the score five-to-three, the USA got another two-point end in the sixth. The USA already had a stone in the lower right of the eight-foot, Casper sent the hammer down to knock out the Norway Rock, and the two points were converted for a seven-to-three lead. Just as the USA Mixed Doubles team got a triple rock knockout against Sweden in their round robin, the Men’s Team got one themselves. Luc Violette took the fifth stone in the seventh end and delivered a fantastic throw down the left side. When he got the first Norway Stone, it hit the second, then that one hit the third, and all three separated out of the house and out of play.

In the same end Nporway was able to grab two points in the seventh and made the score seven-to-five in favor of the USA. Another point was scored for the USA in the eighth end to retake a three-point lead. But in the ninth end, disaster struck when Norway took advantage of a poor stone placement, and the hammer came down for Norway, and they earned a big three-point end. The tenth and final end was there for the taking, and once again, Casper was ready for the challenge. After Norway placed their stones perfectly on the bottom of the four-foot, Casper sent the hammer down the sheet and placed the stone in perfect position to take the two points and the win.

After their earlier hiccup in the round robin, this young USA Men’s Curling squad is finally in the driver’s seat, and they are looking strong and confident. They have climbed the table and are currently tied with Great Britain with a 4-2 record and are now on a three-match winning streak.

Olympic Curling News:

• U.S. Women’s Curling Team Steals Points in Later Ends for the Win
• U.S. Men’s Curling Team Upsets Sweden, Wins in Two Straight
• U.S. Women’s Curling Team Defeats Japan in the Later Ends
• U.S. Men’s Curling Team Gets a Great Start with a Win over Germany. Breaks Two Game Losing Streak

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