Meeting set in wage dispute

USA Hockey and representatives of the women’s national team will meet Monday to discuss a wage dispute that could lead to players boycotting the upcoming world championships.

John Langel, a lawyer for the players, said they’ll meet with USA Hockey officials in Philadelphia two days before the scheduled start of training camp. Players announced Wednesday they’d boycott camp and the tournament unless significant progress is made in negotiations on what they hope is a four-year contract.

The International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship begins March 31 in Plymouth, Mich. The U.S. is the defending champion and has won six of the past eight world championships.

USA Hockey and players traded barbs Friday over demands but agreed to meet to further discussions.

Players are seeking a deal that pays them outside the six-month Olympic period. USA Hockey has said it is not in the business of employing players but is still hoping the players picked for the world championships are on the ice when it begins.

SKIING

Federica Brignone led an Italian sweep in the giant slalom at the World Cup Finals in Aspen, Colo., on Sunday as Tessa Worley of France held on for her first crystal globe.

Brignone glided through the course in a combined time of 1 minute, 58.01 seconds on a softening course to beat teammate Sofia Goggia by 1.44 seconds. Fellow Italian Marta Bassino took third.

Worley entered the race with an 80-point lead over Mikaela Shiffrin in the season-long GS standings. Worley turned in a fast but conservative final run to finish fifth. Shiffrin struggled to uncover speed and was sixth. Men: Andre Myhrer of Sweden won a slalom race at the World Cup Finals when first-run leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria uncharacteristically lost speed near the finish in Aspen. Myhrer navigated the course in a combined time of 1 minute, 27.97 seconds, holding off Felix Neureuther of Germany by 0.14 seconds.

BIATHLON

French star Martin Fourcade proved you can win without any ammunition.

Fourcade, widely considered among the best biathletes in history with six straight World Cup titles, blundered ahead of the mass start race in Oslo, Norway, when he forgot to load his magazines.

When he discovered his error at the first shooting stage, a frantic scramble by French coaches and Fourcade’s brother Simon ensued in an effort to supply him with ammunition.

The unorthodox plan paid off as Fourcade won the race as the only man not to miss a single shot. Still, it needed an International Biathlon Union ruling to dispel any doubts that Fourcade could not be disqualified for accepting the rounds mid-race.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Louisville assistant coach Mike Balado was named as Arkansas State’s new coach.

Balado succeeds Grant McCasland, who resigned to coach North Texas.

Washington tabs Syracuse aide: Washington moved quickly in filling its vacancy, hiring longtime Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins. The move comes four days after Lorenzo Romar was fired following 15 seasons.

AUTO RACING

NHRA driving great John Force won the Gatornationals for the first time since 2001.

Force beat rookie Jonnie Lindberg in the Funny Car final in Gainesville, Fla.

BASEBALL

Jake Richmond’s RBI single in the eighth led host Northern Kentucky to a 6-5 victory over UW-Milwaukee and a sweep of the doubleheader. Richmond homered in the opener as the Norse won, 7-4.