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Briere scores in 2nd OT to cap Buffalo comeback

Colorado's Wojtek Wolski, center, skates to Alex Tanguay after a second-period goal. Former Spokane Chief Jon Klemm is at left. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press
Colorado's Wojtek Wolski, center, skates to Alex Tanguay after a second-period goal. Former Spokane Chief Jon Klemm is at left. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Daniel Briere tipped in Jochen Hecht’s centering pass 7:31 into the second overtime to give the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference playoff series Saturday.

Tim Connolly and Jay McKee also scored for the Sabres, who won after squandering a 2-0 lead in the postseason opener.

Philadelphia’s Simon Gagne forced overtime with a power-play goal with 1:51 left in regulation. Robert Esche was strong in stopping 55 shots, and Mike Knuble had a goal and assist for the Flyers.

With a delayed penalty being called against the Flyers, Hecht got to a loose puck in the left circle of the Philadelphia zone. Circling along the left boards, he sneaked a pass into the middle, where the wide-open Briere stuck his stick out and directed the puck past a helpless Esche.

Avalanche 5, Stars 2: At Dallas, Rob Blake and John-Michael Liles scored power-play goals 2:04 apart in the second period and seventh-seeded Colorado overcame an early 2-0 deficit to win Game 1 of the Western Conference series.

Colorado cut the 2-0 deficit in half before the end of the first period and had three goals in the second. Rookie winger Wojtek Wolski tied it at 2 before Blake and Liles scored. Milan Hejduk and Brett Clark also scored for the Avalanche.

Devils 6, Rangers 1: At East Rutherford, N.J., Patrik Elias scored two of New Jersey’s team-record five power-play goals and the Devils earned their 12th straight victory by beating New York in the opener of the Eastern Conference series.

The final New Jersey goal, scored with 4:26 remaining, might prove way more costly to New York than just on the scoreboard. Right after Elias scored, Rangers scoring leader Jaromir Jagr was helped to the dressing room with an apparent leg injury.

Canadiens 6, Hurricanes 1: At Raleigh, N.C., Cristobal Huet made 43 saves, 12 players recorded points and Montreal made up for four lopsided losses to Carolina during the regular season with a blowout victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

Alex Kovalev had two goals, and Francis Bouillon, Radek Bonk, Chris Higgins and Sheldon Souray each added one for seventh-seeded Montreal.