82 Days Until The Winter Olympics: Men’s Curling Down To Final Game;  Team Peterson Wins Women’s Championship

The road to a US Curling Team spot at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is about to end for one team, while two other teams continue the journey.

On the Women’s side, Team Peterson punched their ticket for the next step to the Winter Olympics with their second consecutive win on Saturday night. Team Peterson will now compete in the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada, the final path to Milan Cortina. 

On the Men’s side, Team Shuster forced a dramatic final game 3 after a win Saturday.

Men’s Final: Team Shuster Survives to Force a Decisive Game 3 for US Curling Championship

John Shuster, a name synonymous with American curling and past Olympic participant, found his team with their backs against the wall on Saturday. Facing elimination, Team Shuster dug deep to pull off a thrilling 7-6 victory over Team Casper, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday.

The match was pure chaos at the end.  Tied 3-3 heading into the eighth, Shuster’s rink scored two, only to see Team Casper roar back with a stunning three-point ninth end, taking a 6-5 lead. 

But in the 10th and final end, Shuster and his team, Matt Hamilton, Chris Plys, and an on-fire Colin Hufman, showcased the icy composure that defines champions. They delivered flawless shots, and Shuster’s world-class strategy paid off as they secured two points for the walk-off win.

Shuster said: “In the last three ends, there was all kinds of chaos. It was wild, it was fun and a little bit stressful. I can’t give my teammates enough credit for making the most educated guesses to pinpoint draws on ice.”

His teammate Colin Hufman was still buzzing from the intensity. “Somehow I just got on a roll, and I don’t even know, man. I was feeling it, and I was making every kind of shot you could make. So I just hope to carry some of that into tomorrow,” Hufman said. 

Men’s US Curling Summary 

• Men’s Final Showdown: Team Shuster and Team Casper will face off in a decisive Game 3 on Sunday at 7 p.m. E.T. to determine the men’s champion. 
• How to Watch: The men’s final will stream live on Peacock and air on USA Network.
• The winner will earn a spot at the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada, from December 5-18.

Women’s Final: Team Peterson Crowned US Curling Champions, Olympic Dream in Sight

Team Peterson, led by the steady hand of skip Tabitha Peterson, are the U.S. Olympic Curling Trials champions. In a masterful display of precision and strategy, they completed a clean sweep of Team Cousins on Saturday, sealing their victory and taking a monumental step toward competing for Olympic gold.

The match was a nail-biter through seven ends, with both teams trading blows and neither giving an inch. With the score at a precarious 5-4, the pressure mounted. But it was in the eighth end that Peterson seized control, scoring a crucial deuce with her hammer throw to extend their lead to a more comfortable 7-4.

The decisive moment came in the ninth. An errant final stone from Team Cousins skip Elizabeth Cousins sailed through the house, missing its target completely. It was a heart-sinking mistake that handed Team Peterson a steal of two points, creating an insurmountable four-point cushion. With the writing on the wall, the game concluded, and the celebration for Team Peterson began.

Their journey, however, is not over. This hard-won victory earns them the right to represent the United States at the Olympic Qualification Event (OQE) in December. There, they will face a formidable field of seven other nations, all vying for one of the final two spots in the 2026 Winter Olympics. 

Women’s US Curling Summary 

• Women’s Champions: Team Peterson moves on to the Olympic Qualification Event in Kelowna, Canada, from December 5-18. 
  • They will compete against Norway, Japan, Turkiye, Estonia, Czechia, Germany, and Australia.