Canadian curlers Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman successfully completed the first real test of mixed doubles competition at the Winter Olympics on Thursday in Cortina, Italy.

This was followed by another big win in the evening session.

The husband-and-wife duo from Chestermere, Alta., never trailed, defeating Norway 6-3 in an afternoon round robin at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. Canada defeated Italy 7-2 in the evening.

“It was a great win and we’re going to need some more wins this week,” Gallant said after the opener. “That’s a good sign.”

Canada needed just six ends to defeat hosts, reigning world and Olympic champions Italy, in a much-hyped showcase game at the 3,450-seat venue.

It was Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosanel’s first loss in 23 international matches between the 2022 Olympics and last year’s World Championships.

The Canadian played well in a shaky first game full of mistakes, but showed effective shot-making in key moments.

Peterman had a raise double takeout on the third end of the deuce, the only multi-point score of the game. Gallant raised his fist in the air and saluted his partner under the seat.

“That was a four-point swing and a critical shot,” he said. “And, yeah, we got a draw when we were in a tight spot, so we had to get out of there.”

The power play in the midfield limited the difference to one point for each team. In the seventh, Kristin Skasselin and Magnus Nedregotten attempted a low-percentage spinner to get around the crowded venue.

Skaslien almost made the rare shot made famous by Niklas Edin’s miraculous pitch at the 2023 World Men’s Championship in Ottawa, but he fell just short and settled for a single.

Peterman took the hammer in the eighth end and won with a draw inside the 8-foot ring.

“It probably wasn’t our best game, but we made a lot of the right shots at the right times,” Gallant said.

Canada (2-0) finished shooting 74% overall and Norway 73% from the field.

USA, Sweden and UK are also undefeated.

Gallant and Peterman started the match the day before with a comfortable 10-5 victory over Czech Republic’s Julie Zelinglova and Vit Czabikovskiy.

In the only other afternoon game, the American team of Cory Dropkin and Cory Thies improved to 2-0 with a 7-4 victory over Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller and Breier Schwaller-Hülimann.

Sweden’s Isabella Lana and Rasmus Lana and Britain’s Bruce Muat and Jennifer Dodds were also 2-0 after three sessions.

Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosanel defeated South Korea’s Kim Sun-young and Jung Yong-seok 8-4 in a morning draw, taking their lead to 1-0 in night play.

Mixed doubles play continues through Tuesday’s medal games. Traditional four-person team play begins the next day.

The Ottawa-based rink is skipped by Rachel Homan, who represents Canada in the women’s competition. Skip Brad Jacobs will wear the Maple Leafs for the Calgary-based men’s team.

Canada hasn’t won an Olympic curling gold medal since 2018, when the mixed doubles team of John Morris and Caitlin Rhodes won in PyeongChang, South Korea.