Gold means confidence, less pressure for US curler Shuster

FILE - United States skip Tabitha Peterson makes a shot against Sweden in the bronze medal final at the women's world curling championship in Calgary, Alberta, Sunday, May 9, 2021. Tabitha Peterson is heading to her second straight Olympics — her first as the skip of the U.S. women’s team. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

FILE - Team Shuster's John Shuster slides the stone while competing against Team Dropkin at the U.S. Olympic Curling Team Trials at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021. The five-time Olympian is back to defend his curling gold medal in Beijing, and the target on his back will be almost as big as the one on the ice. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)

FILE - Team Peterson, from left, Tabitha Peterson, Becca Hamilton, Tara Peterson and Nina Roth celebrate a victory over Team Christensen at the U.S. Olympic curling team trials at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Nov. 19, 2021. Tabitha Peterson is heading to her second straight Olympics — her first as the skip of the U.S. women’s team. Roth is back at vice-skip, throwing third, with fellow 2018 holdover Becca Hamilton second. Olympic rookie Tara Peterson, Tabitha’s sister, is the lead, throwing first. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)

FILE - From left, Team Shuster's John Landsteiner, Matt Hamilton, coach Sean Beighton, Chris Plys and John Shuster pose with their gold medals after winning their match against Team Dropkin during the third night of finals at the U.S. Olympic Curling Team Trials at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb., Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. Team Shuster won the match will represent Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Rebecca S. Gratz, File)