Team USA’s mixed doubles curling team is off to a perfect start at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, using late-end execution and opportunistic play to secure victories over Norway and Switzerland and move to 2–0 in round-robin competition.
Game 1: USA 8, Norway 6
The American duo of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin opened Olympic play with a dramatic comeback victory over Norway on Day 2 of competition. After falling behind 6–4 entering the seventh end, the U.S. delivered under pressure. With the hammer, Thiesse executed a clutch takeout to score two points and tie the match at 6–6 heading into the final end.
Norway appeared poised to respond with the hammer advantage in the eighth, but a critical undercurled penultimate shot left the Americans sitting two. Team USA then placed a guard with its final stone, forcing Norway’s Kristin Skaslien into a difficult final attempt. Her hammer shot failed to curl to the button, allowing the U.S. to steal two points and complete the comeback win.
It was the only stolen end of the match for either side. The U.S. had taken an early 1–0 lead, but Norway answered with three points in the second end and maintained control until the late rally. The loss dropped the Norwegian team of Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten — Olympic medalists in both 2018 (bronze) and 2022 (silver) — to 0–2 in the tournament.
Game 2: USA 7, Switzerland 4
The Americans followed with another strong performance Thursday, capitalizing on Swiss mistakes to secure a 7–4 victory over Switzerland.
After trailing 2–1 in the third end, Thiesse delivered a precise final throw to remove a Swiss stone from the button and score two points, putting the U.S. back in front. Momentum continued in the fourth end when the Americans stole two points after Switzerland’s Briar Schwaller-Hüllimann came up short on a takeout attempt, giving Team USA a 5–2 lead at the halfway point.
The U.S. added to its advantage in the sixth end when Thiesse executed a double takeout on the penultimate shot, followed by another Swiss miss that allowed two more American points. Switzerland attempted to rally using its power play in the seventh, but the U.S. defense limited the damage to a single point. Facing a three-point deficit entering the eighth end, Switzerland conceded the final throw, sealing the American victory.
Through two games, the U.S. showed a consistent ability to convert opportunities, recording multiple stolen ends and timely shot-making in key moments.
With consecutive wins to open the tournament, Thiesse and Dropkin will rest during the final Thursday session before returning to the ice early Friday. Their next matchup comes against Canada (2–0) in a battle of unbeaten teams at 4:05 a.m. ET, followed by a game against Czechia (0–2) at 8:35 a.m. ET.
If the opening matches are any indication, Team USA has quickly established itself as a strong contender in the mixed doubles field, combining clutch execution with disciplined defensive play to begin its Olympic campaign undefeated.
