Marathon talks between the NHL and the players' association stretched deep into Saturday night and then Sunday morning after the sides stayed apart for most of the previous two days.

Once federal mediator, Scot Beckenbaugh, convinced the fighting factions to resume face-to-face negotiations on Saturday afternoon, they were able to make progress. While no one commented publicly on what was accomplished, it was reported that headway was being made on key issues such as the pension plan and salary cap limits.

The sides began meeting about 1 pm EST and were still talking at 1:30 am. It was the longest session of the lockout and the second marathon meeting of the week. The league and the union talked until 1 am on Thursday before negotiations hit a snag.

Bargaining proceeded at a slow pace on Saturday, and the sides also separated to hold internal caucuses. Beckenbaugh conducted meetings with the union and league before bringing them together.

Beckenbaugh walked back and forth several times on Friday between the Manhattan headquarters of each side - beginning at 10 am and wrapping things up shortly before 11 pm.

While he never got the league and the union in the same room then, enough was accomplished to convince the sides to keep going.

Beckenbaugh began on Saturday by holding a meeting with the union and then walked over to talk to the NHL office. He then made the trek back to the players' association's hotel for the group meeting.

The sides have less than a week to reach a new collective bargaining agreement to save what likely would be a 48-game hockey season.

Beckenbaugh also took part in talks during the 2004-05 lockout, which forced the cancellation of the whole season. The players' association concluded a two-day vote among its members on Saturday night that was expected to again give the union's executive board the authority to declare a disclaimer of interest.

(China Daily 01/07/2013 page24)