breaking up another season in February is hardly ideal. Bettman declined to get into specifics of what still needs to be worked out. But it was certainly a positive to see all three men standing side by side

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Ellen Hoog shook off a miss in the shootout and came back to score the game-winner as the Netherlands defeated Germany on Wednesday in the Olympic womens field hockey semifinals.I had a little doubt because I missed the first one, but I trust my shootout and I have a lot of confidence in my shootout, Hoog said. I was confident that I would take it and I would make it.The Netherlands will play Britain in the final on Friday. The Dutch will try to become the first womens team to win three consecutive gold medals.We are not really thinking about that, said Willemijn Bos, who scored two of the Netherlands goals in the shootout. We just want to win this gold one. Thats what we are fighting for.Alex Danson scored two goals, and Britain defeated New Zealand 3-0 in the other semifinal match to advance to the final for the first time.Its just unbelievable, Britain defender Sam Quek said. Its like, my tears are just here. It just feels so unreal. When I look up in the crowd and I see the crowd -- I looked at my mums face, the coachs face, my teammates face -- it just, that is what I play for. Its just awesome.The Netherlands is ranked No. 1 in the world, but Britain is 7-0 at the Olympics.I would really love to go out with a bang and stand on top of that podium and sing the national anthem and be one of those people, Britains Kate Richardson-Walsh said.The Netherlands-Germany match was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, then the Netherlands won the shootout 4-3.Germany had its chances. The shootout was tied at 2-2, and a goal by Franziska Hauke would have won the match. Netherlands goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek registered the save to keep the Dutch alive.Sombroek, who was named the International Hockey Federations top goalie in 2015, had four saves in the shootout.Joyce did great, Hoog said. She kept us in the race. Shes exceptional.Hoog also scored a shootout winner in the 2012 Olympic semifinals against New Zealand.Lisa Schutze gave Germany the lead in the first period, but Maartje Paumen converted a penalty corner in the second to tie the score. The match was evenly played the rest of the way.Germany slowed the Netherlands high-powered attack, constantly denying the Dutch after they advanced into the circle. But the Germans couldnt muster enough of an offense to avoid the shootout.In the end, we dont have to apologize about anything, Germany coach Jamilon Mulders said. We were proud of our performance. We showed off our hearts on the pitch. Thats all we can do.In the late semifinal, Britain had plenty of scoring opportunities early and finally capitalized when Danson scored on a penalty corner with 8:48 remaining in the second period. New Zealand possessed the ball more in the second quarter but couldnt break through, and Britain maintained its 1-0 lead at the break.In the fourth period, New Zealands Kayla Whitelock was issued a yellow card after contact inside the circle, and Britain was awarded a penalty stroke. Helen Richardson-Walsh converted to make the score 2-0.I dont think we got any calls our way that whole game, Whitelock said. Disappointing, wasnt disciplined enough. We just didnt stick to our structure and didnt play the way we wanted to play today.Danson scored on a penalty stroke four minutes later. Now, the British go into the final as confident underdogs.I dont know, Britain coach Danny Kerry said. I fancy our chances. Troy Daniels Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Dan Majerle Jersey . 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George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up.NEW YORK -- NHL players are just a slap shot away from returning to the Olympics next year. While a deal hasnt been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation, to send the leagues players to Sochi, a long meeting Monday pushed the sides much closer to an agreement. "Things are moving along," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. Bettman, union leader Donald Fehr and IIHF President Rene Fasel met for more than five hours Monday at league headquarters to work on a deal that would allow NHL players to compete at the 2014 games in Russia. This would be the fifth Olympics for the NHL. Not everything has been agreed to and the various sides need to meet internally to sign off on any pact. Still, Bettman called Mondays session a "constructive meeting," adding there are still "some Is to dot and Ts to cross." "I think its fair to say that were not quite ready to announce its done," Bettman said. Fasel headed to the airport following the meeting and planned to get together with various international groups beginning on Tuesday. Fehr will brief the players during multiday union executive board meetings next week. "We had a very constructive meeting," Fasel said. "I am very happy and pleased. I have to go back also to my federation and to other national federations, especially back to the IOC, to make a report. I am confident that we will have a solution at the end." When pressed for a timeline to get a deal done, Bettman responded with an emphatic, "Soon. Very soon." "Were on a compact schhedule," Bettman added.dddddddddddd "Everybody is working very hard and we seem to be pulling the oars in the same direction." The biggest challenge the NHL faces every time the Olympics come is the need to stop the hockey season for several weeks in order for its players to go. That is even more of a factor this time because the Olympics are taking place one year after a lengthy lockout wiped out nearly half of the hockey regular season. While the Olympic exposure is good for the NHL, breaking up another season in February is hardly ideal. Bettman declined to get into specifics of what still needs to be worked out. But it was certainly a positive to see all three men standing side by side outside the NHL offices -- a far cry from last year during the lockout when Bettman and Fehr were on opposite sides and held separate news conferences on the street. Fehr agreed with Bettman this time that only smaller details have to be ironed out before a final deal can be reached. "From my end, while weve made a lot of progress on a lot of issues, there are a few I dots and T crosses to do yet," Fehr said. "We have to turn it into final written documents, and I do have to go back to my executive board. Things are moving along." Fasel, from Switzerland, joked that an agreement could already have been in place if the talks werent held in English. "There are still some language problems to understand. Its not so easy for me," he said. "I would prefer to speak French with my two colleagues. It would be much easier to negotiate with them." ' ' '