The NHL and the National Hockey League Players' Association stuck to their word and quickly planned to return to the bargaining table.

After a one-on-one meeting between officials Saturday, the sides agreed Monday to resume talks today in New York. Both sides said the discussions over the weekend were good, creating some optimism that perhaps a deal could be reached soon.

The NHL and the players' union haven't met since Oct. 18, when each side turned down offers. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and players' association special counsel Steve Fehr met one-on-one Saturday in an undisclosed location and held productive talks.

"We had a series of meetings over the course of the day and had a good, frank discussion on the most important issues separating us," Daly said Sunday.

Fehr echoed Daly's encouraging remarks.

"Hopefully, we can continue the dialogue, expand the group, and make steady progress," Fehr said.

Posey receives comeback award in vote by peers

• Buster Posey, who returned from severe leg injuries to help the Giants win the World Series this season, received the Players Choice Award for National League Comeback Player of the Year in a vote by fellow major leaguers.

Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera of Detroit was selected as Player of the Year, beating Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen and Los Angeles Angels rookie Mike Trout.

• The New York Yankees claimed Giants catcher Eli Whiteside off waivers.

Kansas State's Klein may

have suffered concussion

• Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said he hopes injured quarterback Collin Klein will be available for Saturday's game against TCU.

The Heisman Trophy candidate was hurt in the third quarter of the No. 3 Wildcats' 44-30 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday. Snyder did not discuss the nature or severity of the injury, but all indications pointed toward a possible concussion.

Klein lay on the turf for several seconds after rushing for a touchdown. He talked with trainers for several minutes before his helmet was taken away, which usually signals a player has sustained some type of head injury.

• Washington State coach Mike Leach suspended leading receiver Marquess Wilson for an unspecified violation of team rules, and he will miss Saturday's game against No. 17 UCLA. Wilson recently lost his starting job.

• Joker Phillips, who was fired as Kentucky's coach Sunday, will direct the team for its final two games, school officials said.

Djokovic, Murray win

openers at ATP Finals

In his opening match at the ATP Finals, Novak Djokovic dived right in.

Djokovic twice landed hard on the court at London's O2 Arena in a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

"I don't usually dive that much," said Djokovic, who survived three break points in the first set and broke Tsonga twice in the second set. "I don't usually spend that much (time at) the net as well."

Wednesday, Djokovic faces Andy Murray, who beat Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 despite wasting 10 break points.

Murray missed all seven of his break chances in the first set and three more in the fourth game of the second set. But Murray converted the one break point he earned in the third set to lead 2-1 and lost only three points on serve the rest of the way.

General

• Jim Flick, a golf instructor for more than 50 years whose clients included Tom Lehman and Jack Nicklaus upon their joining the Champions Tour, died Monday of pancreatic cancer, his family said. He was 82.

• Olympic road race champion Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan faces an investigation by the International Cycling Union into allegations he bribed a rival to fix a race in 2010.

• Havre de Grace, the 2011 Horse of the Year, sold for $10 million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale, the highest sale price for a horse since 2008. Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm in Florida bought the 5-year-old mare.

– Associated Press

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