Stoeckli powers Swiss to curling bronze

Last Updated: Sunday, February 28, 2010 | 8:20 AM ET

By Jesse Campigotto, CBC Sports

Switzerland's Ralph Stoeckli reacts after his winning throw in the bronze-medal game. (Robert Bukaty/Associated Press)

Switzerland won the bronze medal in men's curling on Saturday, scoring two with the final stone to rally for a 5-4 win over Sweden.

The key shot at Vancouver Olympic Centre came from Ralph Stoeckli, who throws last rocks for Swiss skip Markus Eggler.

Lying one but needing to add another to avoid an extra end, Stoeckli put a little too much on his delivery. But he had backing from the stones collected behind the four-foot, allowing him to score the decisive pair.

"I was lucky," Stoeckli said. "I didn’t have too much time left, so I couldn’t think too much. I knew to take the same weight as before and it came out."

The victory gave Switzerland its third men's curling medal in the last four Olympics. Patrick Hurlimann won gold in 1998, and Andreas Schwaller took bronze in 2002 with Eggler at second — the same position from which he throws for the 2010 team.

Swedish skip Niklas Edin was a game opponent. The 24-year-old, who briefly had Canadian star Kevin Martin on the ropes in the semifinal before falling 6-3, made an outstanding play in the ninth end, erasing four Switzerland stones to protect a 4-3 lead.

The devastating shot compelled Switzerland to blank the frame in hopes of taking a pair in the 10th, where Stoeckli capitalized on Edin's too-heavy final throw. The Swedish skip slammed his broom to the ground in frustration.

"This is the worst feeling I've ever had in my life," said Edin. "I'm really disappointed. We definitely could have won. I really can’t describe it. We should have that bronze medal."

After Stoeckli made the winning shot, the Swiss fourth laid down on the ice with his hands on his head before getting up to celebrate with his teammates at the other end of the sheet.

"The feeling is like winning a gold medal," said Stoeckli