The agreement was reached around 5 a.m. at a Midtown Manhattan hotel after a 16-hour negotiating session. It was confirmed by an N.H.L. official who requested anonymity because a joint announcement had not yet been made.
Pending ratification by the players and owners, a 48- to 50-game schedule is expected to begin before Jan. 20, with the Stanley Cup expected to be awarded by the end of June. This was from the NY Times Breaking News Alert this morning.
Marty
