#BetweenTheSheets: Expect The Unexpected
Be Alert!! This is why we play the games
What. A. Day.
No more undefeated teams.
No more winless teams.
#HIStory was made with a win.
And when the last rock finished spinning, what were we left with?
#ExpectTheUnexpected.
Seems like a perfect mantra for a world championship event during a pandemic, no?
What did we actually learn by the end of the day?
There are 14 great teams here and anyone is capable of beating anyone in any draw on any day.
Records mean nothing once you step on the ice and toss those opening rocks.
Proof?
The majority of teams went 1-1 on Monday.
Sweden was the big victor going 2-0.
Denmark could not continue their 2 game winning streak and went 0-2.
Norway got dropped from the unbeaten ranks, taking a loss to previously winless Germany in their only game on Monday. Yet, they still sit atop the standings at 5-1 thanks to everyone else beating everyone else.
We have 6 teams tied for second with 5-2 records and Italy sitting right behind at 4-3. Two games separate first place from eighth place. From a playoff spot to going home early. From an Olympic berth to a ticket to the Olympic Qualification Event.
As we say, "Yowie Wowie!"
The way this competition is going, we could see the first place team after the RR sitting with 3 losses. A team could have 4 losses and still finish in second place. Maybe 5 losses is not one too many?
So what do all these mixed results do for the Power Rankings?
I cannot tell if the mountain is getting more uneasy as we continue the climb towards the championship or are all the teams just grouping up more and climbing together? Does anyone want the #1 seed?
Bring on the Updated Power Rankings!
Note in parenthesis is the team record and the ranking listed is their previous ranking from the Day 3 #PowerRankings blog post.
#PowerRankings
1. Norway - Team Walstad (5-1, #1): You start the day undefeated and in first place. You only play one game. You lose said game. You remain alone in first place. What more can you really ask for after Day 4? If Norway can at least split their two games on Tuesday, they will still be atop the standings. They may have company with them but still at the top. Tough to move them from the #1 spot, regardless of the loss, when no other team really seized the day. Next Up: JPN, SUI, BYE
2. Sweden - Team Edin (5-2, #7): Ok one team may have seized the day. Heading into Monday the gossip was starting to grow about what was happening with the defending champs. At the end of the day, after two solid wins, the gossip has turned into asking if this team is starting to find their rhythm now and, if so, watch out everyone else. Their schedule lightens up compared to the other top contenders here on in and they have a VERY realistic shot at finishing in first place or at least Top 2 for the SF bye. Here comes #KingNiklas. The question is whether they fall for #TrapGames the rest of the schedule as they will be favoured in most of them. Next Up: NED, BYE, KOR
3. Switzerland - Team De Cruz (5-2, #2): The Swiss ended Sunday with a tough loss to the USA after a HUGE win over Canada. They opened Monday with a tough loss to Italy and found themselves all of a sudden on a two game losing streak and in danger of falling out of the Top 6. The perfect example of how wins are not necessarily moving you up but the losses can quickly knock you down. Switzerland took care of business Monday night dispatching Team RCF and bringing them back in the standings with the 2-loss teams. Similar to Monday, Tuesday sees them with the morning bye and back-to-back games against two top contenders. Huge day once again for the Swiss. Next Up: BYE, NOR, SCO
4. Canada - Team Bottcher (5-2, #3): Well that was a polarizing and emotional roller coaster of a day for the host nation. Canada bullied their North American counterparts in the morning draw, securing a huge steal of 5 in 5 en route to the 10-1 thrashing of USA. They enter the afternoon draw against a Korean squad sitting near the bottom of the standings and an 0-6 lifetime record vs. Canada at these championships. And the wheels fell off the train early. Korea built a solid 6-1 lead after 4 and Canadian curling fans were shook. But Bottcher and the boys found their track, made the comeback and actually had the 9-8 lead heading to 10. The comeback victory would fall short of course and Canada suffered their second loss of the event. This one could hurt. This loss, come the end of the week, could be the difference between first or second or even between second and third. If the latter, it is the difference between a bye to the SF and having to play the Qualifying Round. Oh those #TrapGames. And Canada faces another one tomorrow night after a contender battle in the afternoon. Next Up: BYE, ITA, CHN
5. Scotland - Team Mouat (5-2, #5): If any team is looking forward to putting their heads down to their hotel pillows tonight it might be Scotland. What a grind of a day. The battle vs. Sweden was as close as could be and felt like a championship match (hint: preview?). They take the loss and then come up a bit sluggish early in the night cap vs. Germany. They battled back though, scored a huge 3 in 6 and converted with hammer the rest of the way while ensuring the force on their opposition. It was a 1-1 day. Again, still right in the hunt for the Top 6 and still looking like a contender. But it was not an easy day just to end up sitting in the same spot you were in at the start of the day. Next Up: BYE, JPN, SUI
6. USA - Team Shuster (5-2, #4): Sorry Team USA fans but you know you have to take a small tumble down the mountain when you are humbled with a 1-10 loss vs. your continental rival. On the "Plys" side, they rebounded nicely in their evening game with a dominating 8-2 win over Italy. Again, another team who goes 1-1 and didn't gain traction on the standings but, more importantly, didn't lose much either. Only one game on Tuesday but a big one against a fellow 5-2 team. Next Up: RCF, BYE, BYE
7. Russian Curling Federation - Team Glukhov (5-2, #6): Speaking of Team USA's next opponent, it happens to be Team RCF. I think many are waiting for the golden slider to fall off this team and have them take a tumble down the standings. Monday was not that day. As with their fellow contenders, they went 1-1 picking up a nice win over pre-event fav Japan before taking a lopsided loss to Switzerland. Momentum could be the key heading into the Tuesday morning game. RCF coming off a one-sided loss. USA coming off a one-sided win. Lets see if momentum really is a thing in curling. RCF also gets Italy tomorrow, a team sitting right below them and looking to make a move up the standings. Next Up: USA, BYE, ITA
8. Italy - Team Retornaz (4-3, #8): Speaking of the Italians, they handed Switzerland their second loss on Monday to bring them back to the pack. Unfortunately they were unable to follow it up in their evening game vs. USA. Yup, they go 1-1 on the day and sit in exactly the same position at sunset as they were at sunrise. The trick for them is they are the 12-foot biter right now hoping to stay in play and count on the scoreboard. They need some help. Tuesday they can help themselves with big games against Canada and RCF. Another 1-1 split day though might not be good enough as we get deeper into this competition. Next Up: BYE, CAN, RCF
9. Korea - Team Jeong (2-5, #12): Well, well, well...look who is the highest ranking #PACC nation now? Who saw that coming? But don't discredit this rise up the mountain. They played a stellar game vs. Canada to pick up their second win. Yes Canada made a late charge in the game and almost picked their pocket for the W but they held their cool and made #HIStory as the first Korean team to defeat powerhouse Canada. And remember this is a rookie team who entered the #IceBubble without a coach. Back to the question of momentum now. They only had the one game on Monday. It was a huge win. They probably would have preferred to get right back on the ice with all that confidence but they had the night bye and now face off against #PACC rival China Tuesday morning. If they can knock off China, huge momentum going into the evening tilt vs. the defending champs. Next Up: CHN, BYE, SWE
10. Japan - Team Matsumura (2-4, #9): Japan only played one game on Monday and it was a loss to Team RCF where they were completely outplayed from the opening end. The advantage was the loss came Monday morning. Their next game is Tuesday morning so lots of time to park that loss, relax, reset and get ready for the second half of this competition. They are still in the hunt here with only 4 losses. Yes they only have 2 wins but you look more at losses in competitions like this than wins due to the uneven schedule. They have two big games on Tuesday. If they go 2-0 and get their record back to .500, they are right back in this. A split day or going 0-2 might just eliminate them. Pressure is on! Next Up: NOR, SCO, BYE
11. Germany - Team Totzek (1-6, #11): Germany is 1-6 and probably eliminated from the playoff picture and the direct Olympic ticket. They know they are heading to the Olympic Qualification Event. So how can they be still sitting 11th? Look at what they did on Monday. They knocked off previously undefeated Norway. They were leading Scotland for the majority of the game and pushed them right to the final rock. As mentioned in yesterday's #PowerRankings, they are not playing bad. They are just getting those one or two bad breaks in a game where they give up the big points and end up taking the loss (i.e. allowing Scotland to score 3 in 6 when they were in control). They may be playing spoiler here but this team can still finish strong. The blog predicted a Top 9 finish and this is still very possible. If they can at least finish Top 9 here, they will have some confidence heading into the OQE knowing they would be one of the top seeds and a possible favourite to reach the Olympics. They need to just stay focused, stay calm and keep picking up those wins. In their only game on Tuesday, they draw a Denmark team coming off an 0-2 day. Next Up: BYE, DEN, BYE
12. Denmark - Team Noergaard (2-5, #10): The Danish red turned into the Monday blues. It was a tough day for Denmark, allowing China to pick up their first win in the morning and getting blown off the ice by Sweden at night. And they entered the day on a two-game winning streak. Hills and valleys folks. The 5 losses still technically has them in contention but they cannot afford another loss. They draw one-win Germany Tuesday afternoon in their only game for the day. Win and they can get back their confidence. Lose and they are probably eliminated. Next Up: BYE, GER, BYE
T13. China - Team Zou (1-6, #13): What a strange Monday for China. They open the day on a high, picking up their first win of the championship over Denmark. How did they follow it up? By being the victim to Netherlands' first win of the championship. And so China, like so many others on Monday, go 1-1 in what seemed unlikely and unpredictable. Tuesday is a big day for the Olympic hosts. They know they are playing spoiler now, eliminated from playoff contention. But they draw #PACC rival Korea in the morning. Similar to Canada-USA, the #PACC teams always want to be the top finisher for the continent. Yes you want your fellow #PACC teams to do well, just not against you. Heading into the Olympics, China wants to show themselves as the top #PACC nation. Both teams play Japan on Thursday so the winner here will have the early advantage for #PACC bragging rights. Next Up: KOR, BYE, CAN
T13. Netherlands - Team van Dorp (1-6, #14): I could not keep #TeamOranje alone on the bottom of the mountain after they picked up their first win on Monday over China. It was also their only game so they were one of only two teams to go undefeated on Monday. Unfortunately they are 1-6 and out of playoff contention and direct Olympic qualification. And who do they face off against in their solo game Tuesday morning? The other team who went undefeated on Monday: Sweden. What a weird schedule though. They get back-to-back one game days while many other teams will play 4 games over the same time span. Welcome to 14-game RR tournaments folks. Next Up: SWE, BYE, BYE
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