Weekend Sports In Brief

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Adrian Peterson's remarkable comeback season now has a magic number to punctuate it.

Peterson became the seventh player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, plowing through the Green Bay Packers for a 20-yard gain that put him over the top in the third quarter Sunday. He finished with 199 yards and a touchdown in the 37-34 victory Sunday, leaving him nine yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single-season record.

Peterson needed 208 yards when the day began to break Dickerson's record of 2,105 yards set in 1984.

Peterson came in 102 yards shy of joining O.J. Simpson, Dickerson, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, Jamal Lewis and Chris Johnson in the 2,000-yard club. Peterson is the only one to do it after reconstructive knee surgery.

HOCKEY

NEW YORK (AP) - The NHL and the players' association are ready to get back to the bargaining table.

There were no formal negotiations, but all signs pointed to talks on Monday in an effort to end the lockout and save the season.

Those would be the first negotiations since the sides met with a federal mediator Dec. 13.

The league and the union had informational discussions - by conference call and in meetings - with staff members that lasted much of Saturday and concluded Sunday. Those talks were spurred by the nearly 300-page contract proposal the NHL presented to the union Thursday.

All games through Jan. 14 have been canceled, claiming more than 50 percent of the original schedule. The NHL wants to reach a deal by Jan. 11 and open the season Jan. 19, with a 48-game schedule.

UFA, Russia (AP) - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Ryan Strome scored in the first period, and Canada beat the United States 2-1 to advance to the next round at the junior ice hockey world championships.

Jacob Trouba scored for the U.S. The Americans need to beat Slovakia on Monday in Group B to move on.

Canada faces Russia on Monday to determine which team gets a bye into the semifinals.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Dan Conroy kicked a 47-yard field goal with 1:01 left, Le'Veon Bell ran for 145 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown, and Michigan State rallied to beat Texas Christian 17-16 in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl on Saturday night.

Michigan State (7-6) labored through the first half before going on the longest drive in the school's bowl history, a 90-yard march capped by freshman Connor Cook's 15-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Burbridge in the third quarter. The Spartans recovered a muffed punt by TCU's Skye Dawson at the 4-yard line midway through the fourth quarter and Bell scored two plays later by racing around left end for a 14-13 lead.

TCU (7-6) rallied to set up Jaden Overkrom for a 53-yard field goal with 2:42 left, but left Conroy too much time for his second straight postseason game-winner after beating Georgia with a 28-yard kick in the third overtime of last year's Outback Bowl.

TENNIS

PERTH, Australia (AP) - Venus Williams and John Isner led the United States to a 2-1 victory over South Africa at the Hopman Cup mixed team competition.

Williams rallied to defeat 60th-ranked Chanelle Scheepers 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. After Kevin Anderson beat Isner 7-6 (0), 7-6 (5), the match came down to mixed doubles. Williams and Isner beat the South Africans 6-3, 6-2 to clinch victory.

MMA

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Cain Velasquez reclaimed the UFC heavyweight championship Saturday night, battering Junior Dos Santos on the way to a lopsided unanimous decision in UFC 155.

Velasquez (11-1) took early control of the rematch of his only career loss, flooring the champion with a big right hand midway through the first round. Velasquez spent most of the match stalking and pounding on Dos Santos (15-2), who never fully recovered from the first-round shot that left him bruised and woozy.

Velasquez won every round on every judge's scorecard in the UFC's traditional year-end event in its hometown. The three judges scored the bout for Velasquez 50-45, 50-44 and 50-43.

SKATING

KEARNS, Utah (AP) - Heather Richardson won her third title in three days at the U.S. Long Track Championships, setting a national record in winning the 1,500 meters. Brian Hansen won the men's race.

Richardson's time of 1 minute, 53.84 seconds at the Utah Olympic Oval lowered the old mark of 1:54.19 set by former Olympian Jennifer Rodriguez in 2009.

Hansen won his first 1,500 national title in 1:44.96. Olympian Shani Davis was second at 1:46.55, and Joey Mantia took third in 1:47.13.