USA slips to 2-5 at Men's Worlds

The Norwegian team that became famous not only for its fancy pants but ability to win big games finally showed up this week and Team USA fell prey to Thomas Ulsrud's team in a 9-4 loss this afternoon at the 2012 Men's World Championship at St. Jakobshalle.

The loss drops Heath McCormick (Sarnia, Ontario) and teammates Bill Stopera (Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.), Martin Sather (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.) and Dean Gemmell (Short Hills, N.J.) to 2-5 in the round robin standings and in a tie for 10th place out of 12 teams here competing for the 2012 world title and 2014 Olympic Winter Games qualifying points.

"This morning they played pretty well and got the rocks in pretty good spots, and we were really fortunate. Today, they [Norway] grabbed a deuce in the first end and we were chasing from the get go," said Matt Hames (Buffalo, N.Y.), Team USA's head coach.

Norway outshot the American men 90 percent to 75 to propel the team to its third win and twice scored three points in an end. "That was an important win," Ulsrud said. "As usual at the Worlds we got off to a slow start, but the guys seem to have picked up a feel for the ice, and I am putting the broom at the right spot so things are looking better for Norway right now. But, after that bad start we can feel the knife up there (at our throats), there's no blood yet but it's up there."

To read the complete press release, click on the PDF below.