NHL talks on break; union holds internal meeting

NEW YORK — The NHL Players' Association has left the negotiating table to have internal discussions and hold a conference call with the union's executive board and negotiating committee to determine what step to take next in the hockey labor talks.

Negotiations resumed Friday for a fourth straight day at the offices of the NHL's lawyers, and three sessions of talks were held. The last, which began in the late afternoon, broke up after about two hours. Players' association executive director Donald Fehr says only that the union has "some things to consider" before getting back to the table.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman adds that the league is available to continue talking as soon as the union is ready. Neither side is ruling out getting together again on Friday night or over the weekend.