Brad Jacobs and his Canadian rink reclaimed Olympic gold in dramatic fashion at Milano Cortina, edging Bruce Mouat’s Great Britain 9-6 on Feb. 21, 2026. The turning point came late: Canada posted a three-point ninth end and then stole a single in the tenth to turn a tight match into a memorable victory. Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert combined calm nerves with sharp shot-making when it mattered most.
How the game flipped
For most of the afternoon the scoreboard nodded back and forth, each side answering the other’s challenge. The tide turned in the ninth: a missed double from Mouat and a bumped freeze left Canada with room to build a multi-point end. Jacobs finished the frame by removing a stone near the button, setting up the three-point swing. With the game tied going into the 10th, Jacobs played a brisk, high-weight hit that put Mouat in an almost impossible reply. Mouat’s last rock overcurled for a single and that was all Canada needed. The closing sequence was textbook pressure play — boldness, precision and a little good fortune.
Key numbers
Final score: Canada 9, Great Britain 6.
Canada’s late surge produced three multi-point ends, highlighted by the decisive three in the ninth and the stolen point in the tenth. Jacobs’ clutch shots and his front end’s sweeping were consistently strong in the critical final ends; on the other side, Mouat’s rink showed excellent shot difficulty and aggression but paid for a couple of costly misses at the wrong time.
Team experience and match temperament
This was veteran poise on display. Jacobs won Olympic gold with a different line-up in 2014, and Kennedy and Hebert bring years of championship experience — a steadying influence when the ice and the crowd crank up the pressure. That shared history helped Canada manage the hammer, control the house in late ends and limit risky openings. Mouat’s team, known for aggressive angles and high-difficulty attempts, kept the pressure on throughout and will take lessons from a match decided by millimetres.
A strong day for Canada
Earlier the same day Ottawa skip Rachel Homan secured the women’s bronze with a 10-7 win over the United States, giving Canada a powerful pair of podium moments. Switzerland, skipped by Yannick Schwaller, rounded out the men’s podium with bronze, capping a dramatic day of curling at the Games.
Atmosphere and reaction
The arena was electric — especially when Great Britain held the hammer and the Scottish supporters made themselves felt — but respect was the dominant note after the final stone. Players embraced at the bench, Kennedy climbed onto the boards, Jacobs unfurled the Canadian flag, and both teams received generous applause during the medal ceremony. Mouat added a second straight Olympic silver to his resume; he and his teammates left having pushed Canada all the way.
What this means next
Expect both nations to return to international events with renewed focus. Canada will lean on the veteran core as it chases more titles, while Great Britain will likely fine-tune closing-end strategies to turn narrow defeats into wins. Coaches everywhere will study the late-end exchanges from Milano Cortina: when margins are tiny, decisions and execution in the last few stones decide champions.