Dunstone's Dramatic Double Saves Canada at Men's Curling Worlds
Good Friday began with significant tension for Canada's curling team at the 2026 World Men's Curling Championship in Ogden, Utah. Matt Dunstone and his rink faced a precarious situation in their morning elimination match against Italy's Stefano Spiller, with early misfires threatening an early playoff exit.
A Tense Morning Match
The Canadian team struggled initially, with Dunstone acknowledging his performance was "awful in the first half" of the game. Despite these difficulties, they managed to stay within striking distance, trailing by just two points at a critical juncture. The match appeared to be slipping away as Italy built a defensive position with stones strategically placed behind a protective wall of rocks.
Dunstone described the challenging conditions, noting "that spot got awfully quick" as the ice surface changed throughout the morning session. The team had to constantly adjust to the evolving playing conditions, which contributed to their early struggles.
The Sheriff's Shot
With Canada's championship hopes hanging in the balance, Dunstone delivered what he later called "The Sheriff's shot" with his final stone. The skip executed a perfect double takeout, removing two Italian stones from behind their protective wall to score three points and complete a dramatic comeback.
"I didn't have that shot on my bingo card my last turn to win — that's for sure," a relieved Dunstone told World Curling immediately after the 9-7 victory. "But we'll take that."
The turning point came when Spiller missed a crucial freeze attempt, leaving the opening for Dunstone's game-changing double. This "big break" as Dunstone described it, allowed Canada to seize control of the match and ultimately secure the win.
Looking Ahead to the Semifinals
The victory propelled Canada into a Friday afternoon semifinal matchup against Scotland's Ross Whyte, with the winner advancing to Saturday's championship game. Dunstone expressed relief at having played the morning game, stating it helped them "figure out the ice" for what he expected would be similar conditions in the afternoon session.
"Glad we got the morning game in to figure out the ice, to see what we're going to get in the afternoon," Dunstone said. "Because I'm going to venture to guess it's going to be more of the same."
Rock League Launch
In related curling news, the sport is entering a new professional era with the launch of Rock League on Monday. Created by The Curling Group, this innovative league features six mixed-gender teams representing different global regions competing at Toronto's TMU Mattamy Athletic Centre.
The league will showcase a unique format with teams fielding five men and five women who will compete in various configurations including men's, women's, mixed team matches, and mixed-doubles action. The inaugural season features Alpine Curling Club (Europe), Frontier Curling Club (USA), Maple United (Canada), Northern United (Europe), Shield Curling Club (Canada), and Typhoon Curling Club (Asia-Pacific).
This development represents a significant evolution for the sport, introducing a Ryder Cup-style competition structure to professional curling while maintaining the traditional elements that have made the game popular worldwide.
