Canada bounces back with win over defending champion Sweden at men’s curling worlds

Canada's Ben Hebert sweeps a stone from Marc Kennedy towards the button as Brett Gallant and skip Brad Jacobs look on their country's session against Sweden at the World Men's Curling Championship in Moose Jaw, Sask. on Tuesday April 1, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Canada bounced back from Monday’s loss with an 8-6 win over Sweden Tuesday morning.

Team Jacobs suffered their first loss of the 2025 BKT Tires World Men’s Curling Championships against Scotland in Draw 7 Monday and were looking to rebound.

“When we lose games, we really talk about why,” skip Brad Jacobs told reporters following Tuesday’s win. “We had a really good discussion and debrief after the Scotland game to be able to come out today with the right energy and in the right headspace.”

“That’s a big win against Sweden, we [were] both three and one and [we] keep ourselves at one loss,” he added.

The win improves Canada’s record to 4-1 and into a tie for top spot in the standings through nine sessions.

It was a shaky start to the draw for the Red and White, however. Canada earned the hammer to start the game, but Sweden escaped the first end with a steal to take an early 1-0 lead.

“We saw a little less curl this morning as opposed to yesterday afternoon,” Jacobs said. “We caught on to that quickly.”

From there on, it was all Canada.

Skip Brad Jacobs finished the second end with a great hit in the four foot to score the deuce and take a 2–1 lead.

Sweden tied the game in the third, but a difficult runback double attempt on skip Niklas Edin’s final stone in the fourth failed. Setting up the easy three-point score for Jacobs.

“I didn’t really expect us to get a three. Maybe two,” Canada’s skip said. “If we threw a good stone, we could get low and force him into a run back - and we did - and we got a break.”

Canada led 5-2 through four.

“Nobody got too frustrated or upset,” Third Marc Kennedy said about the team’s shaky start. “We’ve said it all week, just one shot at a time. And keep putting pressure on the other teams and good things will happen.”

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Facing a tough situation the next end, Edin used a Canadian stone on the edge of the 12 foot to angle off towards the button and score a single point to get back within two.

Jacobs would settle for one in the sixth to retain the three-point lead. Then in the seventh, looking to score a deuce, Edin was able to take out both Canada’s scoring stones. Unfortunately for Sweden, the shooter spun too far and out of the house. They still picked up a single point, but Canada led 6–4.

Sweden forced a difficult hammer stone from Jacobs in the 8th.

Edin’s final stone took out the lone yellow Canadian stone in the rings and sat a potential three-point swing.

Jacobs’ double takeout with the hammer would spoil that and Canada would score a single point – once again giving Canada a three-point lead.

With hammer in the ninth, Edin’s final rock would be one of his best of the game. Removing all the yellow Canadian stones, including one on the button, to score his first deuce of the draw. Making it 7-6 Canada.

Sweden had to steal to force extra ends but was unsuccessful as Jacobs put a bow on the game with a takeout for a point and to win.

“[Edin’s] one of the best curlers all time,” lead Ben Hebert said. “Him and Oskar [Eriksson] can get it going at any time by themselves, they’re so good.”

“To beat them here is big,” he added.

Canada’s next draw will be against Italy on Tuesday at 7 p.m.