With a balanced offensive effort, highlighted by a career-best four-point outing from junior Allan McPherson (Kinburn, ONT), and a stingy defensive performance backed up in goal by freshman Greg Lewis (Mars, PA) the Clarkson University Hockey team rolled to its first ECAC Hockey win of the season with a convincing 7-2 victory over Princeton before 2,313 fans at Cheel Arena.

The Golden Knights, who won their first home game of the season, improved their record to 2-5-4 overall and to 2-1-1 in league play. Clarkson breaks fromconference action for the Thanksgiving Holiday and will play at Rochester Institute of Technology on Friday, November 23 in a 7:00 p.m. contest at Ritter Arena.

Seven different Knights scored goals in the win over Princeton (2-3-1, 2-1-1) as Clarkson enjoyed its most productive outing since defeating Sacred Heart 9-2 on December 12, 2010. The Green and Gold led throughout, holding a 1-0 lead in the opening minute and extending their margin to 2-1 after the first period. The Knights added four more goals in the middle frame and closed out the contest with a third-period score to complete their most dominating ECAC Hockey victory since shutting out Quinnipiac 8-0 in Potsdam on March 1, 2008.

McPherson, Clarkson’s leading scorer, paced the Knights with one goal and a career-high three assists. He nows has 13 points on three goals and 10 assists through 11 games. Juniors, captain Ben Sexton (Kanata, ONT) and Jarrett Burton (Echo Bay, ONT) tallied one goal and two assists apiece. Junior Will Frederick (Allison Park, PA), sophomore Joe Zarbo (Grand Island, NY) and freshman defenseman Paul Geiger (Stouffville, ONT) collected one goal and one assist apiece.

Clarkson outshot the Tigers 25-23. Lewis picked up his second career win with 21 saves. The Knights excelled on the power play going 3-of-5 with the man-advantage. Princeton was 1-of-6 on the power play.

The Knights set the tone for the evening by taking a 2-0 lead seven minutes into the contest. Just 57 seconds after the opening faceoff, Clarkson got on the scoreboard. Freshman Todd Christian (Norwalk, CT) jammed in a loose puck in front for his first collegiate goal after a strong rush to the net by Frederick. Burton also assisted.

At 7:01, Burton took a pass at the left circle from McPherson and connected on the power play off a wrist for his team-high sixth goal of the season. Sexton also assisted.

The Tigers closed the gap with their first goal when Kyle Rankin knocked in a rebound off a shot by Michael Sdao at 9:07.

The Knights took control of the contest with a four-goal second-period effort, their most productive 20 minutes of the season. Frederick started the Clarkson scoring outburst with his first goal of the season at 4:19 of the middle frame, knocking in a rebound off a shot by Geiger. Burton picked up his second assist of the night. Sexton made it 4-1 at 8:15 when he one-timed a perfect pass in the slot by McPherson for his fourth goal of the year. Sophomore defenseman JD Carrabino (New Canaan, CT) also assisted for his first collegiate point.

McPherson continued the Knights’ momentum when he tucked in a rebound off the backboards for his third goal of the year, a power-play marker at 13:12. Sexton and senior defenseman Andrew Himelson (Monroe, NY) assisted. Moments after a successful Clarkson penalty kill, Geiger closed out the stanza with his second goal of the weekend, connecting on a blast from the top of the right circle at 16:38 with Joe Zarbo and McPherson assisting give the Green and Gold a commanding 6-1 lead through 40 minutes.

Clarkson continue to roll in the final frame and made it 7-1 with Joe Zarbo’s third goal of the year. Zarbo took a pass from Himelson, circled out of the corner and fired in a quick shot at 3:42. Senior Adam Pawlick (Utica, NY) earned also set up the goal.

Aaron Kesselman closed out the scoring with Princeton’s second goal, a power-play marker at 11:14.