NHL cancels games through Jan. 14

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NEW YORK, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- The National Hockey League announced Thursday it has canceled all regular-season games through Jan. 14.

The decision brings the number of games canceled because of the lockout to 625 -- more than half of all games the league had initially scheduled for the 2012-13 season.

The NHL, which has locked out players for three months, filed a class action complaint in federal court Dec. 14, accusing the NHL Players Association of "bad faith bargaining," after league officials learned the union intended to ask its executive board to proceed with a vote that would send it on a path toward decertification and, ultimately, class action and antitrust lawsuits against the league.

"Simultaneously with the filing of its complaint, the NHL also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board alleging that by threatening to 'disclaim interest,' the NHLPA has engaged in an unlawful subversion of the collective bargaining process and conduct that constitutes bad faith bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act."

The move into the courts came one day after the two sides failed to reach a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement despite the assistance of federal mediators.

The league had previously canceled its Winter Classic game on New Year's Day and its All-Star Game in January.