Canada's Jennifer Jones continues playoff push with 3rd straight win at Beijing Olympics
Team improves to 4-3 in round robin with 7-6 win over the U.S.
Jennifer Jones and her Canadian foursome continued their Olympic playoff push with a third straight win in Beijing.
The Winnipeg skip led Canada to a 7-6 victory over Tabitha Peterson and the United States on Wednesday to improve to 4-3 in the Olympic women's curling round robin, putting them in a tie for third with Japan.
The top four of the 10 competing nations will advance to the semifinals.
Canada has a quick turnaround with a game against China on Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET, before closing out their round-robin schedule against Denmark on Thursday at 1 a.m. ET.
"It's all in our control. We just have to play like that in our next couple of games," said Canada's Jocelyn Peterman.
"We're expecting great games from everybody here, regardless of the playoff scenario. We expect to have to come out and play really well."
UPDATED WOMEN’S 🥌 STANDINGS<br><br>Moving on up. Canada now tied with Japan for third spot. <br><br>Win and you’re in against China in the morning for Team Jones. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cbccurl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cbccurl</a> <a href="https://t.co/hAAc2RSerF">pic.twitter.com/hAAc2RSerF</a>
—@Devin_HerouxAfter bouncing back from a three-game skid that had them on their heels, the Canadians are now riding a wave of momentum with just two games remaining.
"I like the feeling of the pressure. I feel like that's why we play sport," Jones said.
"If it was a guarantee then it wouldn't be as much fun. So when the adrenaline's going, when the game's on the line, that's when I love it the most and that's when it seems like everything gets more clear for me."
The Americans tied it up late with a steal of one in the ninth end, but Jones gave Canada the victory with a clutch final shot to score a single in the 10th.
WATCH: Canada edges U.S. for 3rd straight victory in Olympic women's curling:
Canada entered the game with major momentum, having battled back from a 1-3 record by claiming back-to-back crucial wins against the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and Great Britain.
"We're pretty gritty and kind of comfortable with our backs against the wall — and that's kind of been Jen her whole career. She always plays her best in those scenarios," Peterman said.
"She's had an amazing career, she can play well in all conditions. What makes her exceptional is that she plays really well when the pressure is high."
The Canadians started the tournament strong with a 12-7 win over 2018 silver medallists South Korea, but they came up short against Japan and Sweden before falling to two-time defending world champion Switzerland.
Jones' team also includes Dawn McEwen and Kaitlyn Lawes — with Lisa Weagle as an alternate.
The six-time Scotties champion and two-time world champion entered the Beijing Games with a perfect Olympic record after leading Canada to glory in 2014, becoming the only women's curling team to ever win Olympic gold with an undefeated record (11-0).
Jones is on a quest to end Canada's medal drought in four-person curling at the Olympics, with no Canadian podium finishes in the men's or women's tournament since winning both eight years ago.
She is the oldest Canadian Olympian in Beijing at 47 years old.
WATCH | That Curling Show: The playoff push is on for Canadian curling teams:
Canada appeared to be in trouble in the first end against the Americans, but Jones limited the damage with a brilliant triple takeout on her last stone that limited the U.S. to one.
Canada followed it up with a deuce in the second end, and a steal of two in the third to take a 4-1 lead.
The U.S. scored a single in the fourth end before claiming a steal of one in the fifth, cutting Canada's lead down to a single point at the break.
Canada scored one with the hammer in the sixth end with a double takeout, and Jones gave her team a 6-3 lead with a big steal of one in the seventh.
"Those steals definitely kind of changed the momentum of the game," Jones said.
From Treaty Six Territory to the Olympic Games - our beautiful gift from the <a href="https://twitter.com/StoonTribalCncl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StoonTribalCncl</a> made the trip to Beijing to remind us of the bonds of friendships, reconciliation and our communities back home. <br><br>Ready to cheer us on in our game tonight? 7:05 p.m. CT against the U.S! <a href="https://t.co/MS7Hq0noIS">pic.twitter.com/MS7Hq0noIS</a>
—@TeamJJonesCurlThe U.S. scored a deuce in the eighth end as the lead dropped back down to one point, and Canada was unable to seal the win in the ninth when a miss by Jones gave the U.S. a steal of one to tie the game at six points apiece.
"Unfortunately for us it didn't quite curl enough. But we still had the hammer coming home and that's all we want," Jones said.
Jones made another clutch shot for the game-winning single on the final stone of the 10th end, moving Canada one step closer to the semifinals.
"We felt comfortable and in control the whole game so it was nice to be able to pull that out in the end. That was a really important game for us. We're happy with our performance," Peterman said.
All games will be streamed live on CBC Gem, the CBC Sports app and CBC Sports' Beijing 2022 website.
WATCH: The evolution of Jennifer Jones:
