Canada's Gushue opens with win over Czech Republic at men's curling worlds

Canada's Brad Gushue defeated Lukas Klima of the Czech Republic 6-4 in Saturday's round-robin opener at the world men's curling championship.

Gushue settled for a single point in the ninth end and the Czechs conceded in the 10th after deciding they had no chance at a game-tying pair.

Vice Mark Nichols returned to the lineup after missing the final weekend of the Canadian championship due to a positive COVID-19 test. It was also the first game for the St. John's-based side since announcing that second Brett Gallant would be leaving the team at the end of the season.

Both teams had a few hiccups in the early going as they got used to the conditions at the four-sheet Orleans Arena.

Gushue rolled out on an open hit for two in the first end but managed a steal in the second for a 2-0 lead.

Klima, skipping at the worlds for the first time, made a draw against four to get the Czechs on the board but Gushue answered with an angle raise for a deuce.

The ice had plenty of curl and touches of frost in some locations. The mercury reached 31 C in Las Vegas on Saturday.

The Czechs earned their first deuce in the seventh end and followed with a steal when Gushue missed a double takeout.

The Canadians made some uncharacteristic errors in the ninth end that cost them an opportunity for a pair. Nichols threw his last rock through the house and Gushue was heavy with his final stone.

Gushue, who threw a team-low 78 per cent, was scheduled to play Norway in the evening draw. Klima shot a game-low 64 per cent.

Sweden's Niklas Edin posted a 7-4 win over Wouter Goesgens of the Netherlands and Norway's Magnus Ramsfjell defeated South Korea's Soo-Hyuk Kim 7-3. American Korey Dropkin dumped Tobias Thune of Denmark 8-2 in the other early game.

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