One of the hottest teams in Cortina was no match for Team USA in the first session of play on Day 3 of mixed doubles curling action at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Canada, 3-0 and at the top of the standings, stole a point in the opening end, but never led again as the U.S. team of Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin came away with a critical three points in the seventh on the way to a 7-5 victory over the Canadians.

The Americans took their first lead with two in the second end, and stole another point in the third to go up 3-1.

Canada evened the score in the fourth, and the teams were tied again, 4-4, when the U.S. decided to use its power play in the seventh. They took full advantage, too. On the penultimate throw, Dropkin swept his own rock and came away with a double-takeout to clear the house of Canadian stones. Jocelyn Peterman took out one of the United States' stones on Canada's final throw, but Thiesse came up with a takeout of her own to give the U.S. three and a sizeable lead going into the final end.

Team USA made sure Canada's comeback attempt was as difficult as possible, sitting three guards in front of Canada's only stone in the house with two throws remaining. The Canadians were forced to concede their final rock and settle for just one in the eighth, giving America a two-point win.

"I think we did a good job of making a lot of team shots," Thiesse said. "We had a really good grasp on the ice. We were definitely, especially Korey, feeding off the energy of the crowd. He was totally on fire today, and made so many great shots. And they played great too. It was a really back-and-forth game, for sure."

SCOREBOARD

After scoring one in the first end, the U.S. broke the game open in the second. On the second-to-last rock of the second end, Thiesse put a perfect freeze on Czechia's only rock in the house. Czechia's ensuing hammer throw was too soft to knock any of the American's rocks, and the U.S. was able to steal three for a 4-0 lead.

They continued to maintain full control of the match after Czechia's hammer throw in the third again was short, giving the U.S. another stolen point. 

Up 6-1 in the sixth, the U.S. again sat two before Czechia's hammer throw. Julie Zelingrova's last gasp effort went right by the rocks in the house, giving Team USA a steal of two more and the win.

The Czechs conceded the final two ends for the U.S.'s first victory via concession in Cortina.

Thiesse had a 98 percent shot success rate in the win. The U.S. made 90 percent of their shots on the day, to just a 65 percent shooting percentage for Czechia.

Friday was the first time this tournament the U.S. has held a team to fewer than four points.

SCOREBOARD

With the win, the U.S. improves to 4-0, one of just two remaining unbeaten teams. They'll next face the other unbeaten, Great Britain, at 8:35 a.m. ET on Saturday.

At the same time, Czechia (0-4) will face South Korea.