Canadian skip Brad Gushue, Brett Gallant, Geoff Walker and Vice Mark Nichols react after a 5-2 loss to Britain on Feb. 17, 2022.ELOISA LOPEZ/Reuters
Canada’s men’s curling team closed out its round-robin schedule with a 5-2 loss to Britain on Thursday at the Beijing Olympics.
Both teams had already qualified for the semifinals. Britain finished first in the standings with an 8-1 record and will face the defending-champion United States in the semifinals, which are scheduled for later Thursday.
Brad Gushue’s Canadian squad finished third at 5-4 and will face second-place Sweden (7-2) in the semifinals. Sweden beat Canada 7-4 in the round robin.
Britain, skipped by Scottish veteran Bruce Mouat, opened with a deuce in the first end.
Canada tied it with two in the second, then Britain scored one in the fourth and had steals of one in the sixth and eighth.
Gushue conceded midway through the ninth end.
Canada is looking to get back on the podium after finishing fourth at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. The Canadians had won gold in the previous three Games, starting with Gushue’s triumph at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
In women’s curling, Canada’s Jennifer Jones closes out her round robin later against Denmark. Jones enters the match in fourth spot at 4-4. The top four teams advance to the semifinals.