A win over its archrival is always nice for the Clarkson University Hockey team, but when it is the Golden Knights' first ECAC Hockey victory of the season it makes even sweeter. A solid effort, highlighted by the play of senior goaltender Greg Lewis and sophomore forward Sam Vigneault, lifted Clarkson to a 3-1 triumph over the Saints before 3,295 fans at Cheel Arena Tuesday night.

The Green and Gold controlled play for most of the 60 minutes, outshooting their North Country neighbor 44-27. Vigneault powered the offense with his second career two-goal game and Lewis backstopped a strong defensive effort with 27 saves for his third win of the season. Senior captain Paul Geiger capped off the Knights' victory with an empty-net tally in the final seconds.

Clarkson will take a two-game win streak on the road this weekend when it plays at Dartmouth and seventh-ranked Harvard. The Knights stand at 9-9-2 overall and 1-5-2 in ECAC Hockey play.

Ranked 18th in the country, St. Lawrence lost its third consecutive game to fall to 10-8-2 overall and to 4-3-1 in the league.

A strong first-period effort did not pay off for Clarkson as St. Lawrence scored with 17.9 seconds remaining in the period to take a 1-0 lead. The Knights, who had two power-play opportunities in the stanza, outshot the Saints 11-9, but St. Lawrence capitalized on a Clarkson turnover to score the game's first goal.

While killing off the Knights' second-man advantage of the period, St. Lawrence picked up a loose puck at its own blueline and Ryan Lough and Tommy Thompson broke in on a 2-on-1. Lough fed the puck to Thompson in the slot. Thompson finished off the play slipping a shot in from the top of the crease for his fourth goal of the season just as the Clarkson power play ended.

Clarkson continued to control play in the middle frame, outshooting the Saints 20-8. Just 2:16 into the period Vigneault tied the score, taking a pass across the crease from junior A.J. Fossen and tapping in a shot from the side of the net. Senior Christian Powers started the play with a pass out to Fossen from behind the goal.

The Green and Gold had a chance to take the lead after back-to-back penalties to St. Lawrence, but could not convert, including with 1:37 of two-man advantage play.

The Saints went on their first power play late in the period, but the Knights had a strong kill and outshot St. Lawrence 3-1 during the two-minute stretch to keep the scored tied 1-1 through 40 minutes.

At 6:48 of the third, Vigneault struck again for his team-high eighth goal of the season. After taking a pass from junior defenseman James de Haas, freshman Marly Quince fired a shot from the top of the slot. The rebound came out to Vigneault at the right circle where the Knights' leading scorer connected for his fourth game-winner of the year.

Geiger closed out the victory with his third goal of the season, an empty-net tally at 19:06 with senior Jeff DiNallo and sophomore Kelly Summers assisting, snapping the Saints' two-game win streak in the series.

Clarkson was 0-of-4 on the power play, while St. Lawrence was 0-of-3 with the man-advantage.

Kyle Hayton made 41 saves for the Saints.