Draw #15: Across the Sheets, Part V

Whoa. I had it wrong about what happened between China and Canada (the action is at the far end of the sheet). It turns out Stoughton drifted a tad deep and gave up a steal of one. China and Canada are tied at 4 going into the 8th end. Interestingly, the curling percentages are tied at 81%, too. They play the 8th pretty open, with Carruthers and Mead clearing out some of the rocks, Stoughton doing a raise take-out, Ji putting a rock in the rings, and Stoughton peeling it to blank the end.

Germany takes one more in the 9th, and Denmark concedes.... Their 10th loss. But Germany is still in the thick of things with a 6-4 record.

Korea was forced to take just one in the 7th against Sweden and trails that game 6-4 without the hammer. In the 8th end, SW took 2 more, and Korea conceded.

The only game left on the ice is CA-CH tied at 4 in the 9th end. Canada blanked the 9th end. In the 10th, end, China puts up centre-line guards, Gould ticks them to the side, leaving 4 corner guards after leads' stones, but the centre is open for Stoughton still, which is what he wants for his final shot.

But until then.... centre guard from China. Mead peels it and in the process also knocks off a CA corner guard (the fewer guards the better, from CA perspective) AND rolls into the rings behind the remaining CA guard. This poses a problem for CH. Ba (Vice, CH) puts up yet another centre-line guard. No surprise: Mead peels it. With his first shot, Ji draws toward the CA counter, freezes to it with a very slight bump, and might be shot rock. Stoughton and Mead discuss their situation awhile, having plenty of time remaining. They decide to run back the guard, which leaves CA rock in the rings unguarded. Ji draws behind the CH guard to the back 8', leaving a draw to the 4' for the win for CA. Canada remains undefeated, and China is all but out of the running.