BEIJING -- Canadas Kevin Koe swept his games Thursday to qualify for the 1-2 Page Playoff game at the world mens curling championship. Koe and his Calgary-based team opened with an 11-5 win over Germanys John Jahr at Capital Gymnasium and then locked up second place with a 7-5 victory over Scotlands Ewan MacDonald. "We woke up today just worried about making sure that we made the playoffs," Koe said. "We lose that game and we could be in a tiebreaker or something. The big thing was just to win and get in the playoffs and if we were in the 3-4 game, that was fine with us. Weve done it before. "But to get in the 1-2 game with an extra life, thats a bonus for sure." The winner of Saturdays 1-2 game will advance straight to Sundays final. The loser will play the winner of the 3-4 Page Playoff game in the semifinal. The semifinal winner will play for gold and the loser will fall into the bronze-medal game against the 3-4 loser. Koe built a big early lead in the opening game after German fourth Felix Schulze crashed his last stone on a guard in the second end. That gave Canada a steal of four and Koe added four more points in the fourth end to put the game out of reach. In the afternoon draw, Scotland was out of playoff contention but still gave Koe a tough test. The veteran skip took the lead for the first time in the sixth end with a draw for two points. He sealed the win with a runback double takeout in the 10th end. "It seems like all of our games, either weve won easy or lost easy," Koe said. "So its good for us to have a battle, tied up or close the whole way through, and to pull it out with a shot in the 10th feels good." Norway (10-1) closed with a 7-6 extra-end victory over Switzerlands Peter De Cruz. "Now weve got two chances to go to the final," Ulsrud said. "Ive never been world champion, so thats my dream." The Swiss team rebounded for an 8-5 win over the United States in the evening draw to earn the third seed with a 7-4 record. Sweden and Japan also finished at 7-4 and will play a tiebreaker for the other spot in the 3-4 game. The Czech Republic and host China were tied in sixth place at 6-5. Germany was next at 5-6, followed by the United States and Scotland at 3-8. Russia and Denmark were tied for last place at 2-9. Jahr announced his retirement after his German rink closed with a 10-3 rout of Scotland. Koe won gold in his lone previous appearance at this event, taking top spot at the 2010 playdowns in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy. Ulsrud, who beat Koe 9-5 earlier this week, is hoping to win Norways first world mens gold since 1998. "I like where we are considering how hard weve had to battle," Koe said. "We havent always been at our best. If we can find our A game in the playoffs, I like our chances. And even if we keep playing the way we are, were kind of used to it. Im looking forward (to Saturday). "Theyre a great team and obviously theyve had a great week. I dont think the first time we played them that the score was indicative of the way the game was played, just a couple of missed line calls and it could have been anybodys game. "But I like our chances." Canada has won gold at this event in three of the last four years and has qualified for the championship game in each of the last nine years. Wholesale Oilers Jerseys . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Oilers Jerseys 2021 . Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel also accused Pistorius of tailoring his testimony to fit the evidence at the scene. Pistorius denied the accusations. Nel alleged that the Olympic runner changed his aim with his 9 mm pistol to ensure that he hit Steenkamp as she fell back against a magazine rack in a toilet cubicle. https://www.cheapoilers.com/. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone dismissed Tuesdays massive anti-government protest in Manama as "a lot of kids having a go at the police." "I dont think its anything serious at all," Ecclestone was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday. Edmonton Oilers Shirts . The Toronto Maple Leafs were holding a news conference, so they got curious. It didnt take long for them to find out via social media that coach Randy Carlyle was coming back — with a two-year extension — and assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were being let go. Oilers Jerseys China . -- Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday for the first time in his seven-year career because of a swollen muscle in his left upper back.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hey Kerry, Can you clarify something for me please? On every draw taken by Jonathan Toews, Ive noticed that as soon as the first stick touches the ice (his own on the road and the opponents at home) he simultaneously turns his body and moves his left foot forward, positioning it in front of his opponents right foot immediately before the puck is dropped. This allows him to basically block out the opposing player before the puck is even dropped. How is this not considered to be encroaching (or jumping early) on the faceoff? To me, hes basically being allowed an advantage by getting a head start so to speak on the draw. Keep it up Mr. Fraser! Kyle ShermanWestlake Village, CA Kyle: I did not take your claim lightly that Jonathan Toews cheats on every faceoff, so I examined consecutive faceoffs in an objective manner that the Hawks captain was involved in during the first period of Wednesday nights game. You might be surprised to learn (which I wasnt at all) that the centres from both teams were cheating every chance they could get and as much as the linesmen allowed! There was considerable stick movement regardless of which player placed his stick on the ice first (especially from Jarret Stoll who utilizes a quick stick tap up and down to be in motion when the linesman releases the puck). So put your stick down and your skates squared up on each side of the lines Kyle because this is what transpired: 1) Opening faceoff: Toews set up with open stance to the right before the referee Marc Joannette moved into position to drop the puck. Toews won the opening faceoff cleanly over Anze Kopitar and the Hawks puck possession and attack led to Drew Doughty being called for tripping Toews. 2) As a result of the Kings penalty, Toews took the draw to the right side of Jonathan Quick. From this location, the Hawks captain wanted to draw the puck back to his left. Both Toews and Stoll line up with their feet square on each side of the markings. Toews puts his stick on the ice first butt then picks it up as Stoll comes down with an effort to time the drop.dddddddddddd The linesman puts the puck in and both centres tie up but Toews wins the puck back from the scrum. This puck possession results in a Hawk power play goal by Brent Seabrook. 3) Toews set up square for a Hawks attacking zone left side draw back. Stoll demonstrates a dramatic set to the right with his skates. Jonathan Toews wins the draw cleanly back for another Hawks attacking zone puck possession. 4) Toews lost a neutral zone faceoff as he set up square while Anze Kopitar was twisted to the right. Kopitar won the draw to the sidewall and created a Kings entry into the Hawks zone (First commercial timeout then resulted). 5) Centre ice faceoff following Jarret Stoll goal which saw both Jonathan Toews and Anze Kopitar dramatically twisted as they lined up. Both players moved to gain the benefit of a timed drop. Toews was faster and more dramatic but Kopitar won the draw back and Kings controlled. 6) With 7:10 remaining in the period and a Hawks end zone left side faceoff, Jarret Stoll places his stick on the ice first and does a stick tap up and down to gain momentum as Toews comes down and then up with his stick. Both players attempted to gain the benefit of this timed drop but Stoll was clearly twisted to his right with movement and won the draw back as the Kings controlled the puck in their attacking zone. The linesman fell to the ice and was likely fined a "six-pack." Play went end to end until Marian Gaborik scored on a terrific pass from Anze Kopitar. I think you get the picture by now Kyle. Jonathan Toews is not the only centre thats rotating his left skate in advance of the puck drop; there is cheating on both sides of the faceoff circle! What you have highlighted Kyle is the need for the linesmen to be more diligent in squaring the centres as they get set to drop the puck and not allow a player to swing or move his stick to gain the benefit of a "timed drop". Puck possession off an end zone can be a huge factor in the outcome of a game. Thank you for pointing this out! ' ' '