Brad Jacobs leads Canada's curling men to Olympic gold over Great Britain

Canada bound off Brad w. W. Jacobs captured his back Olympic men's curling au medal in 12 years on sabbatum, defeating top-ranked Bruce Mouat and Great Britain 9-6 in a tightly contested game in Milan.

Jacobs scored three points in the ninth end and stole a point in the 10th when Mouat's final shot to force an extra end was slightly wide.

Jacobs won 2014 gold in Sochi, Russia, while his teammates Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert were last in an Olympic final in 2010, when they won gold in Vancouver. Kennedy and Hebert lost the semifinal when they returned to the Olympics eight years later in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"They played a heckuva game," Hebert said of the Brits. "They're the No. 1 team in the world for a reason, and games like that can go either way, so we're feeling grateful to be standing on top of the [medal] podium."

Kennedy also won 2022 bronze in Beijing and is Canada's most decorated Olympic curler. Brett Gallant, the rink’s fourth member, was on the bronze team with Kennedy.

Brad Jacobs earns his 2nd Olympic curling gold medal and Canada's 1st since his win in 2014

It's Mouat's second straight Olympic silver after falling to Sweden's Niklas Edin four years ago in Beijing.

Earlier Saturday, Ottawa skip Rachel Homan picked up her first Games medal in three attempts with a 10-7 victory over the United States in the women’s bronze match at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.

The men engaged in a back-and-forth battle on the sport's biggest stage.

​Canada's skip Brad Jacobs after winning curling gold medal, 'celebrating that win is so special'

Great Britain missed a couple of double takeouts in the ninth end and then bumped a freeze attempt. That allowed Jacobs to pick out the opposing stone near the button to take a two-point lead.

Up 8-6 in the 10th end, Jacobs made a big-weight hit with his final throw, with 7.2 seconds left on the clock, to force Mouat to make a tricky shot to score two to tie.

When Great Britain's rock overcurled, Canada scored a single and the celebration was on. Brooms flew in the air and the players and coaches hugged by the bench.

The Canadians walked over to a section of friends, family and supporters to share the moment. Kennedy hopped on the boards with his arms extended in the air, and Jacobs joined him as he held the Canadian flag with outstretched arms.

It felt like a road game for the Canadian team as the near-capacity crowd was strongly pro-Mouat.

The young team from Scotland was boosted by their sections of chanting, flag-waving supporters, who would frequently bang their feet on the grandstands.

Canada opened with hammer, but it was wrested away with an early force. Mouat made a draw for a deuce in the second end and Jacobs answered with a pair of his own.

Brad Jacobs and his Canadian curling rink collect their gold medals

The top-ranked Mouat made a mistake in the fourth end when he ticked a guard and rolled out of the rings. Jacobs had a chance to set up a steal but his draw was heavy. Great Britain was able to hit for one.

Jacobs made an error when he tried to blank the fifth end with a double takeout but he hit the rock on the nose for one.

Canada controlled the sixth end but still gave Mouat a chance for a cross-house double takeout. He nailed it as his teammates pumped their fists in the air and the crowd roared.

There was little room for slight mistakes against Mouat's side of Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan.

When Kennedy's runback in the seventh left a Great Britain stone biting the 12-foot ring, Mouat made a great come-around that forced the Canadians to one.

Jacobs forced right back in the eighth as Mouat took a 6-5 lead.

When Mouat's freeze attempt in the ninth slightly bumped the stone near the button, Lammie couldn't hide his frustration. He swiped at his broomhead and sent the pad flying onto the other sheet.

The teams were joined by bronze medallist Yannick Schwaller and his Swiss team at the medal ceremony.

Add some “good” to your morning and evening.

Get up to speed on what's happening in sports. Delivered weekdays.

---

---