Canada’s Team Dunstone captures silver at LGT World Men’s Curling Championship

OGDEN, Utah — Team Matt Dunstone’s quest for gold came to a disappointing end Saturday afternoon, but in the process the Canadian champs sent an emphatic message that the future is bright for a team that featured two World Men’s Championship rookies.

Dunstone’s Winnipeg team bowed 9-6 to Sweden’s Team Niklas Edin Saturday in the gold-medal game of the 2026 LGT World Men’s Curling Championship.

While it was Edin’s record eighth world championship, it was a silver in the first trip to this event for both Dunstone and his vice-skip Colton Lott, and suffice it to say, both are eager for a return as soon as they can.

“We totally just want to get back and finish one step better,” said Dunstone, whose team is rounded out by second E.J. Harnden, lead Ryan Harnden, alternate Geoff Walker, team coach Caleb Flaxey and national coach Jeff Stoughton. “We ran into a buzzsaw today; I mean, they threw everything they had at us and unfortunately just we couldn’t find enough answers for it.

“It was gruelling schedule and our backs were against the wall early. To rally off 10 (wins) in a row to make it into the final, I think we have all the reasons in the world to be proud of what we accomplished. Looking back at it in a couple days, I’m obviously going to be very proud — it’s the happiest silver medal I’ve ever won.”

The Swedes manufactured a first-end deuce, and had Canada chasing the rest of the afternoon, but the white-clad Dunstone team chased hard.

After being forced to one in the second, Dunstone had to make a tough double-takeout in the third to avoid giving up three; Sweden still managed a deuce to go up 4-1.

After a blanked fourth, Dunstone made a precise double-raise takeout for a pair in the fifth, and added a raise double-takeout for two in the seventh.

But each time the Canadians scored two, the Swedes responded in kind with deuces of their own, and then forced Canada to one in the ninth to snuff out any comeback hopes.

“I thought today we played well,” said E.J. Harnden. “They (Sweden) were just phenomenal. Nik showed today why he’s one of the best to ever play and unfortunately he did it against us in the World final; I guess I didn’t really expect anything different. We expected a really tough game and I’m really proud of the way that we battled. We never gave up.  So, overall, nothing to be ashamed of, lots to be proud of and still really, really proud of this team and bringing home a silver medal for Canada.”

It was also the final game of E.J. Harnden’s brilliant career, as he ends his stint in a Canadian uniform with an Olympic gold and five World Championship silver medals.

“It’s probably going to sink in a little bit more as the night goes on and in the coming days,” he said. “But I couldn’t have asked for anything more. To end my career as a Brier champion and a world silver-medallist, and to do it with this group, I don’t think it can get any better than this.

“I’m going to really enjoy watching Ryan and Colton and Matt continue to play and continue to be one of the best teams in this sport for a long time coming. I’ll definitely continue to be a fan and love to stay involved in some way, shape or form with curling and see what that looks like.”

The future for Team Dunstone — specifically who will replace E.J. Harnden — will be sorted out soon, said Dunstone.

“We have somebody who’s locked and loaded,” said Dunstone. “We’ll probably just get home and sleep for what I hope is a very long time you’ll hear from us in a in a couple days on who’s going to be our new second.”

Saturday’s final marked the end of the quadrennial in men’s and women’s four-player competition, and Canada was the only country to win medals in every event — four World Men’s Championships, four World Women’s Championships and the Olympic Winter Games men’s and women’s events, with 10 medals in total (three gold, four silver, three bronze). Switzerland was next best with eight (two gold, four silver, two bronze), followed by Sweden with four (three gold, one bronze).

Team Dunstone’s silver was Canada’s leading 59th podium finish in the 67-year history of the World Men’s Curling Championship.

Tickets are now available for the 2027 BKT World Men’s Curling Championship, scheduled for March 26-April 4 in Saint John, N.B.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/nouvelles-media/.