Caesars wins 12U Tkachuk Division
DETROIT, MI – In the 2025 Tier 1 Elite Hockey League 12U Tkachuk Division Championship, Little Caesars defeated the Anaheim Jr. Ducks 5-2 on December 8 at the Taylor Sportsplex. Little Caesars capitalized on momentum swings and timely scoring to control the game from start to finish.
The opening period was marked by early physicality and penalty calls, but it was Little Caesars who struck first at 8:22 into the period (6:38 remaining) when Cameron Coombe (#34) scored off an assist from Parker Miller (#61). Anaheim struggled to get traction offensively in the first, managing just four shots while Little Caesars posted 13.
In the second period, Anaheim’s Daniil Aksianovich (#17) responded quickly, scoring just 1:26 into the frame (13:34 remaining) to tie the game at 1-1. But Little Caesars didn’t let the game remain tied for long. Just under ten minutes later at 11:04 into the period (3:56 remaining), Coombe added his second of the game, with assists from Anthony Wickersham (#53) and Enzo Pacioretty (#67), restoring the lead at 2-1.
The third period opened with Pacioretty (#67) adding another goal at 0:40 in (14:20 on the clock) with assists from Rigdon Depew (#43) and Parker Miller (#61). Austin Xiong (#87) buried a key goal for Little Caesars, assisted by Wickersham, placing Caesars ahead 4-1.
Anaheim once again applied pressure, and they put one on the board with 3:04 remaining with a goal from Gannon Streeter (#12), assisted by John Burns III (#8) and Owen Russell (#18) bringing the score within 2. But the momentum swing was short-lived. Less than a minute later, at 2:21 remaining, Deacon Detter (#12) scored unassisted to a final of 5-2.
Goaltender Vinny Sladich (#35) made 23 saves on 25 shots to backstop the win, including several key stops during Anaheim’s second-period push. The Jr. Ducks showed bursts of offensive life and earned key goals at clutch moments, but Little Caesars held on to claim the title.
