LETHBRIDGE, Alberta -- The U.S. men’s run at the 2019 World Men’s Curling Championship concluded with an extra-end playoff loss to Japan on Saturday in Lethbridge, Alberta.
John Shuster (Superior, Wis.) and teammates Chris Plys (Duluth), Matt Hamilton (McFarland, Wis.), John Landsteiner (Duluth) and Korey Dropkin (Duluth) never led but played a close game and forced Japan’s Yuta Matsumura rink into an extra end where the Japanese drew the button for the win.
The 4 vs. 5 qualification playoff win advanced Japan to the semifinals later in the day, where they fell 8-2 to Sweden. Canada defeated Scotland 6-5 in the 3 vs. 6 qualification playoff to move on to the second semifinal against Switzerland. Results from the second semifinal were not available at press time.
The Americans -- who finished the round robin 8-4 overall -- end the competition ranked fifth, ahead of Scotland in sixth.
The semifinal losers will meet in the bronze medal game at 1 p.m. Sunday with the gold medal game following at 6 p.m.
