News+Notes: NHL, players reach tentative deal for 56-game season,
The NHL and players reached a tentative deal Friday to hold a 56-game season that would begin Jan. 13. The NHLPA executive board gave the agreement a green light to proceed, but players and owners must hold formal votes and Canadian health officials give their approval before it becomes reality.
Players on the NHLPA’s executive board call Friday night supported moving forward with the agreed upon terms, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.
The league’s Board of Governors could vote on the plan as soon as this weekend. Approval from health officials in the five Canadian provinces that have teams is still needed before the NHL can go ahead with the season.
Training camps for the seven non-playoff teams would open Dec. 31 and then Jan. 3 for the other 24 teams. It’s unclear whether teams would play in their home arenas or in “hub” cities, though an all- divisional schedule is expected.
College football
SUN BELT CHAMPIONSHIP CANCELED » The Sun Belt Conference football championship game Saturday
between No. 9 Coastal Carolina and No. 17 Louisiana-Lafayette was canceled because of a positive COVID-19 test within the Coastal Carolina program.
An entire position group would have been unavailable to play because of contact tracing.
Both schools were in contention for a New Year’s Six bowl spot with a victory in the first Sun Belt title game featuring a matchup of ranked teams. WASHINGTON TO FOREGO BOWL SEASON » Washington announced it will not pursue a bowl bid after a COVID-19 outbreak kept the Huskies (3-1) from playing their regular- season finale against Oregon and the Pac-12 title game
against USC.
The school said the decision was for medical reasons. Washington’s opt out of the bowl season leaves the Pac-12 with only three teams available to play in the postseason: USC, Oregon and Colorado.
Pro football
SAINTS PLAN TO START
BREES AGAINST CHIEFS » Saints record-setting quarterback Drew Brees “looked good” in his first practices since returning from rib fractures and a punctured lung, and is slated to start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, coach Sean Payton said.
Brees has missed four games since his injury, which occurred when he was sacked against San
Francisco.
Taysom Hill has started in Brees’ place, going 3-1. Even before Brees’ injury, Hill would intermittently take snaps under center to provide New Orleans’ with a change- of-pace, read- option QB.
Golf
JIN YOUNG KO TAKES LEAD IN LPGA TOUR FINALE » Topranked Jin Young Ko took the lead into the weekend in the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship, putting herself in position to win the season money title.
Ko shot a 5-under 67 at Tiburon Golf Club to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Sei Young Kim and 2018 winner Lexi Thompson.
Soccer
MCKENNIE VOTED U.S. MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR » Midfielder Weston McKennie has won the U. S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award for the pandemic-abbreviated schedule.
McKennie appeared in two of three U.S. games in 2020, earning man of the match at Wales last month.
At 22, he is the fourth youngest to win the award behind Christian Pulisic, Landon Donovan and Peter Vermes.