Canada's Pat Simmons defeated Finland's Aku Kauste 8-4 on Sunday to win bronze at the world men's curling championship at Scotiabank Centre.
Simmons and his Calgary-based team of third John Morris, second Carter Rycroft and lead Nolan Thiessen bounced back with a strong effort in the third-place game after a disappointing showing in a semifinal loss to Sweden's Niklas Edin a night earlier.
The Canadian side looked more like the team that went on a late tear to win the Tim Hortons Brier and then posted a 10-1 mark in the round robin against the world's best.
Simmons showed his form had returned in the first end by nailing a draw to the four-foot for a single as Finland sat four. He also delivered a nice hit and roll in the second end to set up a steal of one.
Kauste got on the board with one in the third end but Simmons pulled away in the fourth with a draw for three. A deuce in the sixth end essentially sealed the win.
The slumped shoulders and exasperated looks that were a constant for the Canadians in the Sweden loss were replaced by a confident swagger. The powerhouse side was back, but it was a game too late.
Edin, the 2013 champion, was to meet defending champion Thomas Ulsrud of Norway for the gold later Sunday.
The bronze was a nice way for Simmons and his rink to cap their tournament. However, a third-place finish will still be considered a disappointment.
Like hockey, it's gold or bust when it comes to Canada's participation in international curling events. Simmons is still looking for that elusive first world title.
He finished fourth last year in Beijing with Rycroft, Thiessen and skip Kevin Koe. Morris joined the team this season and spent most of the campaign as skip before switching positions with Simmons after a poor start at the Brier.
Rycroft and Thiessen won a world title in 2010 while Morris earned gold in 2008.
Canada hasn't won gold at this event since Glenn Howard took the 2012 title in Basel, Switzerland. The tournament will return to Basel next year.
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