NHL players are going to the 2014 Winter Olympics. It took months of deliberation, but participation in the games was made official after an agreement was reached between the league, the NHL Players Association and the International Ice Hockey Federation. "I think like everyone thought it was just kind of a matter of time, working out logistics," Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "With it being a little further in Russia Im sure there was a little bit more work to do. Im glad that were going and obviously excited to kind of start the process." Commissioner Gary Bettman has been optimistic for several weeks about a deal getting done. But until it was finalized there was uncertainty about players going to the Games in Sochi, Russia, despite NBC securing broadcast rights for the games and players expressing the desire to go. "The decision to participate in the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi was in many ways a difficult one, but one that we know will be well received by our players and, most importantly, by the vast majority of our fans and sports fans everywhere," Bettman said in a statement. It will be the fifth Olympics featuring NHL players since they were first allowed to represent their countries in 1998. The NHL will interrupt its season from Feb. 9-26 for the tournament, which will take place from Feb. 12-23. The 2013-14 NHL schedule, delayed until this deal was finalized, was released later Friday. Canada won gold at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, when Crosby scored to beat the United States in overtime. "Its gone by really fast," Crosby said. "Obviously with injuries and stuff like that, too, it wasnt like there was three full hockey seasons to kind of look back on. Its definitely gone by quick, but its exciting. You start to kind of think about it and obviously with it being announced that were going." Overall its been an up-and-down experience for Canada at the Olympics. Canada finished seventh in Turn in 2006, won gold in Salt Lake City in 2002 and finished fourth in Nagano in 1998. Canada will be in Group B along with Austria, Finland and Norway. Group A is made up of the United States, Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia, while Group C is made up of the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland and Latvia. Canada opens the Olympic tournament Feb. 13 against Norway. Naturally, the expectation for Canada is the same as it was in 2010. "Just being Canadian you realize pretty quickly that people come together that time of year, especially, and when its hockey even more so," Crosby said. "I think that you want to go there and find a way to win gold." Some Russian stars, including Alex Ovechkin, have said they would go to Sochi regardless of NHL permission. Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis even said he would allow Ovechkin to go with or without the leagues blessing. That is no longer an issue the league or players association needs to worry about. "The players are very pleased that an agreement has been reached that will allow the worlds best hockey players to compete at the Winter Games in February," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said in a statement. "Having the opportunity to wear their nations sweater in Sochi is something the players look forward to." Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will go to Sochi, joining the IIHFs on ice officiating crew. Canada is expected to announce its coaching staff in the coming days. Reportedly Mike Babock will be back as head coach, joined by assistants Claude Julien, Lindy Ruff and Ken Hitchcock. Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson said he hopes orientation camp in Calgary begins Aug. 25 but said in an interview he wasnt sure if players would be able to skate because of insurance issues. "We got some quotes yesterday that it would be over a million dollars to skate," Nicholson said. "So if its that type of dollars, itd be very difficult for us to do that. But were just starting to look into that now with the agreement being done today."Mens/Womens Air Jordan 3 Retro Dark Powder Blue/Black-Wolf Grey-White Nike Jordan Retro Sale . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. Mens Air Jordan 6 Retro Black/Infrared 23-Black 384664-023 Cheap Retro Jordans For Sale . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. http://www.retrojordansforsalecheap.com/ . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Air Jordan 1 Retro For Sale . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Mens Air Jordan 11 Retro White/Black-Dark Concord 378037-100 Jordans Retros For Sale . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd.ATHENS, Ga. -- Derek Mason finally picked up the sort of victory that should ease some of the heat on the Vanderbilt coach.Just the opposite for Georgias Kirby Smart, who is facing plenty of scrutiny after a stunning loss to the Commodores.Sickening, Smart said.Vanderbilt claimed its first Southeastern Conference road win in Masons three seasons as coach, upsetting Georgia 17-16 on Khari Blasingames 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and a huge fourth-down stop late in the game Saturday.The victory set off a wild celebration as the Vanderbilt players raced over to Sanford Stadiums famous hedges to celebrate with a small group of black-and-gold-clad fans.I told our young men this morning that if we wanted to do something epic, we needed to make sure we took the fight to them, Mason said.For Vanderbilt (3-4, 1-3), it was only the third win over Georgia in the last 22 meetings between the SEC East rivals. Mason had dropped his first nine league road games.You saw a football team committed to doing one thing, and thats going on the road and getting a win, Mason said. We also talked about a new season, the second half of the season. We cant do anything about whats behind us, but we could do something about what is in front of us.The Bulldogs (4-3, 2/3 SEC) held a commanding lead in total yards, 421-171, but special-teams blunders doomed the home team. Not exactly what Georgia was expecting when it fired longtime coach Mark Richt and brought in Smart , who had been Nick Sabans defensive coordinator at Alabama.Its embarrassing, and Im sick to my stomach, Smart said. I take full responsibility for it.Georgia went ahead for the first time early in the third quarter on Jacob Easons 17-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Nauta. The Bulldogs added their third field goal, stretching the lead to 16-10 with just under 14 minutes remaining.But Vanderbilt responded with its only extended drive of the game, going 75 yards on eight plays to reclaim the lead when Blasingame powered over with 9:43 to go. The big play was a screen pass on third-and-12 that Ralph Webb took for a 37-yard gain to the Bulldogs 11.It wasnt pretty, Vandy quarterback Kyle Shurmur, but that just isnt our style, I guess.Georgias final drive was extended by Easons 23-yard pass to Terry Godwin on fourth-and-13, but the Bulldogs couldnt convert wheen facing fourth-and-1 at the Vandy 41.dddddddddddd In a puzzling move, the Bulldogs didnt go with either of their star runners -- Nick Chubb and Sony Michel -- and instead pitched the ball to receiver Isaiah McKenzie after he dropped back into the tailback position.McKenzie was thrown down about a foot shy of the first-down marker by Vandy linebacker Zach Cunningham, who finished with a staggering 19 tackles.We felt good about the play, McKenzie said. A guy came from the blind side and tackled me. He made a good play.THE TAKEAWAYVanderbilt: The victory will take some of the heat off Mason, but the Commodores have yet to address their anemic offense. Other than one impressive drive, they barely moved the ball against Georgia.Georgia: The offensive play-calling will surely come under scrutiny after the Bulldogs rushed for only 75 yards against Vanderbilt and didnt turn to their top runners when the game was on the line.SPECIAL TEAMSVanderbilts first 10 points were set up by special teams.Darius Sims returned the opening kickoff 95 yards, setting up Webbs 1-yard TD run that gave the Commodores a 7-0 lead just 22 seconds into the game. On the second-half kickoff, Georgias Reggie Davis made the catch along the sideline and inadvertently stepped out of the bounds at the 3. The Bulldogs went three-and-out, Kalija Lipscomb returned the punt 17 yards and Vandy didnt even need to make a first down to set up Tommy Openshaws 38-yard field goal.Smart called it a comedy of errors.BOUNCING BACK.Eason threw for a career-high 346 yards on 27-of-40 passing, just six days after the freshman turned in a 29-yard performance against South Carolina that was Georgias fewest passing yards in a game since 1990.UP NEXTVanderbilt: The Commodores return home next Saturday to face Tennessee State. It will be only the second home game in six weeks for Vanderbilt.Georgia: After the off week, the Bulldogs return to action Oct. 29 against Florida in the annual Cocktail Party showdown at Jacksonville, Florida.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '