Canada's Gallant, Peterman off to winning start at mixed doubles curling worlds

Canada's Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant emerged victorious in their opening match at the 2022 mixed doubles world championships, besting Germany 9-3 on Saturday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Peterman, of Winnipeg, and Gallant, of St. John's, got going early with a 5-0 lead through the first three ends.

After the first two ends where the Canadians managed to gain control early with solid accuracy, a missed shot from the Germans (0-1) in the third end swung the momentum further in Canada's favour.

"We both had a pretty handle on the ice off the bat, which helped, and we had a pretty good idea of where to put the broom. We made some good shots early, and that helped," Peterman said in a news release.

Germany's Pia-Lisa Schöll and Klaudius Harsch were able to get on the board in the fourth end with two points, putting their power play to use.

Canada settled for a single point in the fifth, missing an opportunity to score three with the final stone of the end not curling enough for them.

On the ensuing end, Germany secured one last point before Gallant and Peterman put up three more in a dominant effort to close out the victory.

"You're always going to get a few opportunities and give away a few opportunities in mixed doubles, but it's just trying to limit those and control the angles so that if a lot of rocks go flying, you're staying closer to the middle," Gallant said.

The Canadian duo will return to the ice on Sunday to take on Spain's Oihane Otaegi and Mikel Unanue, as Peterman and Gallant resume their pursuit for world championship gold after claiming silver in 2019.

The top three teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs with the top two receiving a bye to the semifinals.