WJC Round-Up: Yamamoto & Kral to Battle Each Other for Bronze

Chiefs Kailer Yamamoto (USA) and Filip Kral (CZE) experienced semi-final losses at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship on Thursday, forcing them into a head-to-head battle for the bronze medal on Friday. Team USA and Team Czech Republic will square off a 1 p.m. PT, available to watch on NHL Network.

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Yamamoto and the Americans battled close with Sweden for two periods but the Swedes exploded late in the second and early in the third for four goals – including two shorthanded – to take a 4-0 lead. Team USA scored twice late but it wasn’t enough in the 4-2 loss.

Yamamoto finished with an assist and 2 SOG in the game to go with a -1 rating. He had to be helped off the ice after a slash to the leg with only four seconds left in regulation, but is expected to play in Friday’s bronze medal game.

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Kral and the Czechs got off to a good start, taking a 1-0 lead against the highly-favored Canadians. Team Canada came rolling back, scoring the game’s next seven goals en route to a dominant 7-2 win.

Kral did not record a shot on goal and finished -1 in 8:36 of ice time.