NHL labor talks stalled

By Staff and wire reports

Nov. 11, 2012 12 AM PT

Collective bargaining talks between the NHL and the NHL Players’ Assn. broke off Sunday after slightly more than an hour and appeared to reach a stalemate again after a week of daily communication had fueled hopes they might be nearing a resolution to their labor dispute.

“No progress and no meetings,” NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said when asked to sum up the day’s events and whether they had scheduled more negotiations. Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHLPA, told reporters in New York he does not see “a path to an agreement.”

The NHL said it had moved toward the players’ stance on 14 of 17 contracting issues the union raised last week and bent on the crucial “make whole” clause, which would ensure players get the full value of their contracts partially through deferred payments. However, the league is holding firm on capping contract lengths at five years, limiting the variance on contracts to 5% from year to year, and delaying eligibility for free agency by a year, and players won’t agree to those conditions.

—Helene Elliott

ETC.

Federer, Djokovic to face off

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic advanced to the championship match in the ATP finals at London, each looking beatable early before turning things around.

Federer, a six-time champion at the season-ending event, advanced by beating U.S. Open champion Andy Murray, 7-6 (5), 6-2. The top-ranked Djokovic defeated Juan Martin del Potro, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The ATP finals are the last tournament of the season, and Federer will face Djokovic in the final match Monday at the O2 Arena.

Charlie Beljan had no reason to panic Sunday. His wild week at Lake Buena Vista, Fla., ended with a comfortable lead and his first PGA Tour victory.

What a turnaround in two days.

Beljan struggled to breathe and his blood pressure spiked during the second round, which ended with his being wheeled out of the scoring room on a stretcher. He spent the night at a hospital. It turned out to be a panic attack that was out of control.

But on Sunday, Beljan shot a three-under-par 69 for a two-shot win in the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.

Cristie Kerr won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadalajara for her first LPGA Tour victory in more than two years, and Stacy Lewis tied for fourth to wrap up the player-of-the-year award.

Kerr parred the final three holes to hold off Angela Stanford and third-round leader Inbee Park by a stroke. Kerr finished at 16-under 272.

Matteo Manassero holed a 12-foot putt for eagle to beat Louis Oosthuizen on the third playoff hole and win the Singapore Open.