Hecht scores late in Buffalo victory

Jochen Hecht snapped a late third-period tie, and Ryan Miller made 20 saves in his seventh consecutive start to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 Friday night at Buffalo, N.Y., in the first game of a home-and-home series.

The game marked the return to Buffalo for Daniel Briere, the former Sabres star who signed an eight-year, $52 million contract with the Flyers during the off-season. Briere failed to pick up a point and finished with a minus-2 rating.

Hecht scored with 2:51 left, beating Martin Biron with a backhander off a rebound.

“The Philadelphia Flyers and John Stevens agreed to a one-year contract extension that will take the second-year coach through the 2008-09 season.

Avalanche 4, Rangers 3 (OT): At Denver, Wojtek Wolski tapped in the winning shot 1:16 into overtime and Milan Hejduk scored two goals in Colorado’s victory over New York.

Blue Jackets 2, Kings 1: At Columbus, Ohio, Nikolai Zherdev had a goal and an assist, and Fredrik Norrena made 33 saves to help the Blue Jackets hand Los Angeles its sixth straight loss.

Islanders 4, Penguins 2: At Pittsburgh, Blake Comeau scored his first career goal to give New York the lead midway through the third period, Trent Hunter added a goal 37 seconds later and the Islanders shook off a recent slump to beat the Penguins.

Devils 3, Oilers 1: At Edmonton, Alberta, Patrik Elias and Brian Gionta scored in a 35-second span of the third period and New Jersey rallied to beat the Oilers.

Stars 3, Flames 2 (OT): At Calgary, Alberta, Mike Ribeiro scored his second goal of the game 57 seconds into overtime to give Dallas a victory over the Flames.

Hurricane injured

Carolina right wing Justin Williams will miss at least four months after tearing a knee ligament, general manager Jim Rutherford said.