Canada pushed Sweden hard in the later ends, taking the lead in the seventh, but Sweden came back in the tenth to score two, and stole a point in the eleventh for the gold medal.
Led by two-time World-Champion skip Annette Norberg, the Swedish team came out in control with first-rate offense and defense.
Canada showed some signs of pressure early on, missing a few shots, while Annette Norberg played like a perfectly-programmed curling robot, maximizing every opportunity.
Through six ends, Sweden was in control with the score at 4–3 and Sweden holding the hammer. While the Canadians were playing well, the Swiss were playing flawlessly.
Canada began its comeback in the seventh end. Annette Norberg missed two shots in a row, letting Canada steal two.
Sweden blanked the eighth end and probably would have blanked the ninth if they could, but Canada stole another point going up two. This gave Sweden the hammer in the tenth, and Sweden capitalized, scoring two and forcing the extra end.
Canada Starts a Comeback
Canada started its comeback in the seventh end, loading up the house with Canadian rocks. Anette Norberg threw her first bad stone of the night, missing a double takeout, and still got a lucky roll to lie shot. Cheryl Bernard came back with a great shot, knocking a Canadian rock into the shot rock and clearing it out. Norberg followed with a second bad shot, letting Canada steal two to take the lead 5–4.
Sweden blanked the eighth end and seemed eager to blank the ninth, but Canada’s Carolyn Darbyshire and Susan O’Connor kept burying rocks in the four-foot. Then Swedish third Eva Lund (playing on her birthday) missed a takeout, hitting a Canadian guard, giving Canada a break. Canada called timeout, deciding how to make the most of this chance.
Bernard had the choice of “splitting” the house—drawing a rock into the house far away from shot rock to prevent a double takeout—or setting a high center guard to protect shot rock. Bernard tried the draw, but shot heavy. Norberg’s first shot only took out one Canadian rock, and rolled to guard the other, balancing Bernard’s bad luck.
Bernard’s next shot replaced the Swedish rock with a Canadian, giving them another rock in the house, and still covering the back Canadian rock. Norberg tried the run-back double takeout, but only got one. Canada stole another point, to lead 6–4.
Sweden held the hammer in the tenth, but Canada seemed strong through the early shooters. When O’Connor came up, Canada lay three with one Swedish rock in the house. O’Connor ejected the Swedish rock to lie four.
