Norway secured a semifinal berth at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo on Thursday, defeating Canada 8-6 in a crucial win-and-in game. The loss dropped Canada’s round-robin record to 7-2, despite already being locked into second place.
The two teams will meet again in the semifinals on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. ET / 10:05 a.m. PT, with coverage available on CBC Gem and Sportsnet+.
The playoff picture remained fluid entering Thursday’s final draw, with only Canada and Switzerland’s Team Yannick Schwaller having previously qualified. Great Britain’s Team Bruce Mouat, ranked number one in the world, Italy’s Team Joel Retornaz, and the United States were all vying for the remaining two spots.
Italy’s 9-5 defeat to Switzerland ultimately secured a place for Mouat’s team. Great Britain will face Switzerland in the other semifinal matchup, scheduled for the same time as the Canada-Norway game.
Norway established a commanding 7-2 lead through the first five ends, capitalizing on precise hits by Ramsfjell to build a substantial advantage and limit Canada’s scoring opportunities.
Canada mounted a comeback in the sixth and seventh ends, as Norway faltered with strategic errors, allowing Canada to score four points and narrow the gap to 7-6. However, Norway managed to hold on and secure the victory.
Tyler Tardi played the full game as Canada’s spare, giving veteran Ben Hebert a rest ahead of the semifinal. Hebert has been a key contributor on the sweeping front throughout the tournament.
In a separate game with playoff implications, Italy’s Team Joel Retornaz was defeated by Switzerland, ending the host nation’s hopes of reaching the semifinals. A three-ender scored by the Swiss in the seventh end proved decisive.
The winners of the semifinal matches will advance to the gold-medal game on Saturday, while the losing teams will compete for the bronze medal on Friday.
Canada is competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics for its 25th time, having participated in every Winter Games since the inaugural event in 1924. The Canadian delegation consists of 205 athletes – 99 men and 106 women – competing across 14 sports. As of February 19, 2026, Canada has secured 4 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals, ranking 11th overall in the medal count.
