DANGER » second cut the deficit to four, but Durants 3-pointer minu

ANAHEIM – Teemu Selanne wanted to do something nice for Sami Vatanen. J. C. Ramirez Angels Jersey . 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. Fred Lynn Jersey . Torres scored the first goal by an English team in the knockout phase of the Champions League this season when he met Cezar Azpilicuetas cutback in the ninth minute of their first leg match in the last 16. But Chelsea failed to make the most of its counterattacks and the Turkish champions equalized in the second half after gaining in confidence and cutting out their defensive mistakes. Albert Pujols Jersey . Cruz set the tone with a two-run homer in the first inning, and Baltimore scored eight times in the eighth to pull away for a 12-3 victory in Game 1. The major league leader with 40 homers during the regular season, Cruz added an RBI single to his early blast off Max Scherzer.Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Russell Westbrook scored 32 points with seven assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder to their seventh straight win, a 104-92 decision over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. Kevin Durant supplied 26 points and Anthony Morrow drained three 3-pointers en route to 10 points off the bench for the Thunder. Defensively, we have been locking down, Durant said. If we want to win, we have to continue to do that. The loss spoiled the Sacramento coaching debut of Tyrone Corbin, who was named interim coach of the Kings following Michael Malones dismissal late Sunday night. Malone was fired after guiding the Kings to an 11-13 record in just his second season at the helm. I learned a lot from (Malone). Im very thankful to play for coach Malone, Kings center DeMarcus Cousins said of the coaching change. At the end of the day, we know this is a business. Everything doesnt always work out the way we want them to. Hes a great coach and I wish him nothing but the best. Cousins missed his 10th straight game due to viral meningitis. Sacramento is 2-8 without him over that span. Rudy Gay paced Sacramento, which has lost four straight, with 22 points to go along with six rebounds. Carl Landry netted 14 points in a reserve role. Landry and Ryan Hollins each scored four points as part of a 13-2 run to open the fourth quarter. Landry capped the spurt with a jumper that gave the Kings their first lead of the game, 84-83, with 8:05 to play. That lead was short lived, however. Reggie Jackson converted a three-point play that jump-started a 9-0 burst that gave Oklahoma City a 94-86 edge. Durants jumper in the closing minutes preeceded Westbrooks layup that put the visitors up 12 and closed out their 12th consecutive victory over Sacramento. Shohei Ohtani Angels Jersey. Durant, who needed just three points for 15,000 in his career, knocked down a jumper to cap a 9-0 run to open the game for the Thunder. He became the second youngest to reach the 15,000-point plateau with the basket. LeBron James, the youngest to reach that mark, did so at 25 years, 79 days old. Oklahoma City led by as many as 16 late in the opening frame, then Landrys basket brought the Kings within 34-20 after 12 minutes. A 9-1 run by Sacramento midway through the second cut the deficit to four, but Durants 3-pointer minutes later pushed the margin back to double digits. Serge Ibaka netted a pair of free throws for a 59-45 lead with 1:34 remaining. The Kings then ended the half on a 9-1 run that Gay capped with a driving dunk over the out-stretched arms of Ibaka, was fouled and hit the subsequent free throw to make it a 61-54 game at the break. Sacramento trimmed the deficit to four on a couple of occasions early in the third, but the Thunder went on a 10-2 run and they led 81-71 after three quarters. Game Notes It took Durant 26 years, 78 days to reach 15,000 -- a span of 550 games ... Sacramento retired Peja Stojakovics No. 16 at halftime. Stojakovic spent his first seven-plus seasons in the league with the Kings ... Corbin went 112-146 in three-plus seasons as coach of the Utah Jazz ... Steven Adams had a game-high 10 rebounds in the win ... Oklahoma City scored 26 points off 19 turnovers ... The Thunder had a 21-8 advantage on the fastbreak. ' ' '