The National Hockey League canceled the first two weeks of the 2012-13 regular season on Thursday because of the absence of a labor agreement with locked-out players.
The decision impacts on 82 games that were scheduled to be played from Oct. 11, and marks the first time regular season NHL action has been canceled since a lockout wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.
Among the early games canceled were the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings' home opener versus the New York Rangers on Oct. 12.
The NHL imposed a lockout, which essentially halts all league operations, when the previous collective bargaining agreement expired 18 days ago with the owners and players at odds over how to divide a $3.3 billion revenue pie.
The league has already said it will lose about $100 million in revenue from its earlier decision to scrap the entire two-week preseason schedule.
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