Troy, MI — Troy United protected home ice Saturday night with a hard-fought 3–1 victory over M1, in a game defined by strong defensive play and standout goaltending at both ends. The opening period remained scoreless despite multiple scoring chances, with both teams having goals waved off as the goaltenders controlled the crease and kept the game tight. Troy United broke through in the second period when Ben Dumas (Athens High School) scored a shorthanded goal, finishing a feed from Kaiser Ascencio (AHS) to give TU a 1–0 lead. M1 responded shortly after, capitalizing on a penalty to the Troy United goaltender with a power-play goal to tie the game at 1–1. The third period saw Troy United apply steady offensive pressure, but M1 goaltender Todd Butler repeatedly frustrated the home team, denying quality chances and keeping the contest even. With just over three minutes remaining, Kaiser Ascencio broke the tie by connecting once more with Dumas to put Troy United ahead 2–1. M1 pulled its goaltender in the closing minutes, but senior Ben Dumas sealed the win with an empty-net goal, assisted by Ascencio, to secure the 3–1 final. Troy United returns to the ice next weekend, hosting Novi on Saturday at 5:15 PM on home ice. Story by: Jason Clark Photo credit: Laurie Van Raemdonck