DETROIT – NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had lunch Friday with NHL Players’ Association executive director Bob Goodenow in New York, and the league will listen to a new proposal from the union Thursday in Toronto.

These are the most positive developments in the labor situation since the owners locked out the players Sept. 16.

But in a Canadian television interview this week, NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin said Bettman wasn’t the right man to run the league and the players certainly didn’t respect him now.

And at a charity game in Ann Arbor, Michigan two Red Wings players pinned the league’s problems on Bettman.

“Well, he’s had 10 years to do it, and they claim they lost over $200 million,” center Kris Draper said.

“That’s not a very good track record. I guess we can just kind of leave it at that.”

Defenseman Chris Chelios, who has been outspoken against Bettman in the past, reiterated some of his points.

“It’s too bad that, like I said before, you’ve got a guy who has no idea the past 10 years what he’s done to our league, and then he goes and blames it on economics because he’s a numbers guy,” Chelios said. “The thing is to make it work, and obviously over the past 10 years he hasn’t. …

“If they’re hell-bent on breaking the union, then that’s OK. That’s business. Like I said, we understand that part of it. The marketing part, the situation the league’s gotten itself into, I mean, there’s no one to point fingers at except the guys running the league. I mean, it’s absolutely ridiculous for him to keep coming up with excuses and blame it on economics. It’s marketing, that’s all. …

“The proof’s in the ratings. The proof’s the marketing. The TV deal we just signed, it’s horrible.”

Chelios said forward Brendan Shanahan was trying to arrange for the players to bypass Bettman.

“I’d much rather see that,” he said. “I trust the owners a lot more than I would trust his word. …

“I have nothing against the owners. I’ve had a great life because of hockey, and I’m not going to bad-mouth any of the people who have been in 20 years.”

Getting serious

Chelios thinks it’s just a matter of how serious the sides are about saving the season. “It sounds like both sides are a bunch of knuckleheads,” he said.

“At least we’re coming across as that from a public-relations standpoint. Call it what you want-luxury tax, cap, soft cap, whatever. There’s an answer. …”

The players feel they have made a significant concession by offering luxury taxes and are frustrated the owners are insisting on tying players’ salaries to a percentage of league revenue.

The owners say they can’t afford to compromise. “I don’t really buy into that,” defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. “I think they can move from where they’re at right now. …”

Chelios said players and owners were fine, but not the others who lean on hockey for a living.

“Boston’s doing something for the vendors,” he said. “I haven’t seen anybody do something here for them. You know, it’s unfortunate. You read about guys taking out second mortgages. Those are the people you feel bad for.”

GORHAM, Maine — Sophomore goalie David Beckles Stamford,

Conn.) stopped 40 of 42 shots to backstop the University of Southern

Maine Huskies to a 3-2, come-from-behind, upset victory over the

Williams College Ephmen in an ECAC game at the USM Ice Arena Friday

evening.

The win was the first ever for Southern Maine against

Williams in ten tries. The two teams began playing each other in the

1995-96 season. The Huskies improved to 3-2-1 overall and 2-2-0 in

league play. Williams slipped to 2-3-1 overall and 2-1-0 in league

games.

Beckles was outstanding all evening, save for a 25 second

span in the second period when the Ephmen scored twice. A transfer

from SUNY Fredonia, Beckles made 16 of his 40 saves in the final

period as the Huskies overcame a one-deficit and then protected a

one-goal lead.

Williams broke a scoreless deadlock late in the second period

when freshman Brandon Jackmuff (Woodbury, N.J.) flipped the puck over

Beckles shoulder for his second goal of the season at 15:39. Junior

Jim Canner (Wyomissing, Pa.) doubled the lead 25 seconds later,

converting a pass from senior Steve Baldassarri (Brewster, N.Y.) into

his fourth goal of the season after a turnover in the Huskies end.

The Huskies got one back before the end of the middle period

as sophomore Bobby Siers (Mt. Prospect., Ill.) lit the lamp for the

first time this season knocking in the rebound of sophomore Marc

Santuccio’s (Gloucester, Mass.) shot.

Junior Ryan Wright (Eliot, Maine) tied the game at 2-2 with

an unassisted power-play goal at 4:54 of the third period. The

Huskies took their first lead of the game at 7:32 as freshman Brett

Kapteina (Stamford, Conn.) put the puck between the legs of Williams’

sophomore goaltender Brad Shirley (Hanover, N.H.) from 20 feet out

for his second goal of the year. Wright and junior James LeBlanc

(Dorval, Quebec) drew the assists.

Shirley finished the night with 30 saves for Williams.

Southern Maine will host defending national champion

Middlebury College on Saturday starting at 4:00 p.m. Williams

travels to Salem State College for a Saturday matinee at 3:00 p.m.