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ANAHEIM – Teemu Selanne wanted to do something nice for Sami Vatanen. His fellow Finn, 21 years his junior, had just arrived in Anaheim and was hoping to stick with the Ducks. The way Selanne saw it, if Vatanen was going to make it in southern California, he needed to have his own wheels. So the future Hall of Famer, an avid car collector, decided to lend Vatanen, a smooth-skating defenceman, one of his. A Mercedes CLK to be precise. "I havent seen it in a year-and-a-half," Selanne said with a chuckle. "I dont know if I like that car actually," Vatanen said with a big smile, "but its free." Selanne and Saku Koivu, another Finnish veteran, have mentored Vatanen, Anaheims fourth round pick in 2009, over the last couple of years. Koivu and his wife Hanna, for example, helped Vatanen get his apartment set up. "You can tell that both of them have taken Sami under their wing," said Ducks defenceman Ben Lovejoy. "Hes not even their little brother, hes sort of their son." Told of that statement, the 43-year-old Selanne doesnt miss a beat noting, "He could be." The groundwork laid by Selanne and Koivu paid dividends in the regular season as Vatanen was the third leading scorer among Ducks defencemen picking up 21 points in just 48 games. "Its a big thing," said Vatanen. "Ive been watching those guys for a while. It was fun to get a chance to play with them and its more fun even in the playoffs." Vatanen played in just nine of Anaheims final 32 regular-season games and started the playoffs in the minors with Norfolk in the American Hockey League. He was recalled in time for Game 3 of the series with the Los Angeles Kings making an immediate impact. Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau even went so far as to label the youngster the best player on the ice on either team on Thursday night. Vatanen didnt slow down in his second career NHL playoff game on Saturday night, picking up his first post-season point, an assist on Ryan Getzlafs power play goal. He was also on the ice for Devante Smith-Pellys goal earlier in the period. "Just some confidence on the back end," said Lovejoy when asked what Vatanen brings to the table. "Getting offence against the Kings is difficult and having another smart puck mover back there is only going to put our forwards in better position to create offence." It is the 5-foot-10, 183-pound Vatanens gutsy play, which impresses Selanne the most. "Hes a warrior out there," said Selanne. "Hes not the biggest guy out there, but he doesnt avoid the traffic. Hes putting himself in a situation where hes going to get hit and give hits. Its fun to watch when young guys and small guys can do that. And obviously the way he can see the game and pass. He can make a huge difference." Selanne is nearing the end of his decorated career and takes great pride in being able to help an up-and-coming Finnish player find his way. After all, it was Teppo Numminen who helped a young Selanne navigate some early-career growing pains in Winnipeg. "I remember how much he helped me and thats why I want to do my job as well. And its fun and you see how much they appreciate it and how life is easier when you have help here and there," Selanne said. "Thats what we have done for years. Its so much easier for a young guy when theres a countryman who wants to help and makes things easier and gets you settled down. Thats a very important part of our job." In a way, Selannes career has come full circle as he passes the torch to the next rising Finnish star on the Ducks. So, did Numminen lend Selanne a car back in the day? "Actually, I let him drive my car," Selanne said with a grin. Some things never change. Cheap Jerseys From China .S. routed Sweden 7-0 Sunday to win its fourth straight title and seventh overall under-18 world championship. 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China Jerseys Stitched .J. - New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara left Monday nights game against the Indianapolis Colts with a torn biceps.The San Antonio Spurs will try to keep the momentum going against the Portland Trail Blazers when the two squads meet for Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series Thursday at AT&T Center. The Spurs squashed the Blazers in Game 1 Tuesday night, 116-92. Tony Parker led six San Antonio players in double figures with 33 points and doled out nine assists as the seasoned veterans imposed their will against the younger, more inexperienced Blazers. The Spurs did not need their stars down the stretch for the second straight game thanks to building a big lead that was never seriously threatened. Marco Belinelli contributed 19 points off the bench, Tim Duncan finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. For Duncan, it was his 152nd career double-double in the postseason, which is second to Magic Johnsons 157. Kawhi Leonard added 16 points and nine boards for San Antonio, which ousted the eighth-seeded Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 on Sunday with a similarly lopsided 23-point rout. "We have to realize Game 1 is just Game 1. Its just one game," Parker said. "They will come out with a lot of energy (in Game 2) and we have to match that." Patty Mills and Aaron Baynes, who played one game in the Dallas series, both had 10 for the second unit. The Spurs benched destroyed their Portland counterparts, 50-18, which makes sense considering the San Antonio bench finished first in the regular season in bench scoring and tthe Blazers were last.dddddddddddd LaMarcus Aldridge put up 32 points and 14 rebounds for Portland, while Damian Lillard, the hero in the series clincher against the Houston Rockets on Friday, started slow and ended with 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Robin Lopez was the only other Portland player in double figures Tuesday night with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Portland reached the Western Conference semifinals for the first time in 14 years when Lillard ended the Rockets season with a dramatic buzzer-beating 3- pointer in Game 6. In the Blazers first six possessions of Game 1, they missed six shots, had two turnovers and trailed 8-0 after Parker drove to the hoop for two. An early timeout did little to help Portland, which shot 21.7 percent (5- of-23) from the field in the opening frame and nearly got outscored by Parker himself, with the All-Star point guards 13-point quarter leading the way to a 29-16 spread. "I think San Antonios energy was at a high level and it took us a little while to catch up to that level," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said after practice on Wednesday. "Youve got to learn from it and youve got to get off to a better start." Portland, which committed 20 turnovers to just nine assists, had posted a 14-7 record against San Antonio the past five regular seasons, the best record in the NBA against the Spurs in that time. Game 3 will be Saturday night at the Moda Center in Portland. ' ' '