PITTSBURGH - Daniel Briere is making May hockey a habit. But what he'd really like is to finally play a series in June.

The Philadelphia Flyers centre is playing in the NHL's Eastern Conference final for a third straight season. This time, he's looking for a different ending after being on the losing end with the Buffalo Sabres in 2005-06 and '06-07. Several days from now, he's hoping to be shaking the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, it's been two years in a row now going home empty handed after this series," Briere said Friday before Game 1 against the Penguins. "So I'm hoping with the experience we have in this dressing room and we'll be a little bit more better prepared and ready to attack it and move on next time around."

A year ago at this time, Flyers goalie Martin Biron returned to Buffalo