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More than two decades after the Finnish Flash took the NHL by storm, a generation of Finns is building on Teemu Selannes unforgettable legacy.Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets leads the NHL in goals at age 18 and is at the forefront of Finlands infusion of young talent. Between the Carolina Hurricanes Sebastian Aho, Florida Panthers Aleksander Barkov, Edmonton Oilers Jesse Puljujarvi and San Jose Sharks Joonas Donskoi, this is arguably the strongest wave of Finnish forwards the league has seen.Finland has a proud hockey program that produced Selanne, brothers Saku and Mikko Koivu and plenty of star defensemen and elite goaltenders. Now the Scandinavian country of 5.5 million people is churning out some of the fastest and most skilled young players around.There was a time, a couple of age groups, that we really didnt have any superstars, Finnish goaltender Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins said. We really didnt have any goal scorers or superstars coming. Now, its totally opposite. We have many of them coming up.Finland currently has as many NHL players (33) as it does indoor rinks, according to the International Ice Hockey Federation. By comparison, Canada has 3,250 rinks and the United States has 1,800.A country that big, you look at their sheer population and the numbers, its amazing the players theyre pumping out, Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. Developmentally, theyre doing something right over there thats leading to the success because its amazing based on the sheer numbers what theyre doing.Some of Finlands best are 21 and under, and three of the top five picks in the 2016 draft were Finns: Laine at No. 2, Puljujarvi at No. 4 and defenseman Olli Juolevi to the Vancouver Canucks at No. 5.Thats a long way from a weak 2009 draft that led the Finnish Ice Hockey Association to hold a summit, the result of which was a greater focus on individual skill development. Couple that with the influx of arenas to grow the game that followed Finlands win at the 1995 world championship, and Finland has made a national commitment to growing faster, more skilled players to stack up against the worlds best.Im really proud, Donskoi said. Its great to see that, I think, Finnish hockeys going the right direction.With 11 goals in his first 17 games, Laine is the poster boy for Finlands incredible strides. He has drawn comparisons to Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, a three-time MVP who said Laine could score 50 or 60 goals if he continues to improve.While Donskoi looked up to Selanne and the Koivu brothers, Laine considered Ovechkin his idol. Now he wants to be even better.I love the way he scores goals and he wants to score, but I dont want to be exactly like him, Laine said. Yeah, of course, he has an amazing shot and (hes) an amazing player, but I want to be myself. I have a lot to learn about everybody and take something from him, especially his shot. I think I have to grow that if I want to get to his level.Teammates think Laine has limitless potential, just like executives believe Barkov could be as good of a two-way player as three-time Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews. Barkov is just 21.Hurricanes coach Bill Peters has raved about how NHL-ready Aho is at 19 -- well-rounded and committed to defense while also being able to pile up the points. Barkov credits coaches in Finland for developing smart players who dont just look to score.They do everything that youll grow up as a good player and a good sportsman, said Barkov, who had 59 points in 66 games last season. They help you a lot, especially in the junior national team. Have a lot of meetings -- tell us what to do and how to prepare for the games.Players from Finlands biggest rival, Sweden, cant help but notice the increase of top-end talent. Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom called this a special generation of Finns, and Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog believes its a good thing for the NHL and international hockey.Theyve always had such a good team, with the Koivus and Selannes and these guys, said Landeskog, whose Finnish teammate Mikko Rantanen was the 10th pick in 2015. Theyve always had a knack for putting out good goalies and now a lot of young guys coming up, too. I think its exciting.Despite being smaller in size and budget than Canada, the U.S., Russia and Sweden, Finland has medaled at four of five Olympics with NHL players and six of the past 11 world championships. Given Laine and Co., the future is even brighter.Its a really good generation we have coming out now, Rantanen said. We havent seen this kind of wave from Finland in a while.---AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . Ondrej Palat Jersey . 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Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers rookies Ross Stripling and Grant Dayton got to face David Ortiz on Saturday when the Red Sox designated hitter made a rare start in the field in an NL park. It turned out to be a special experience for both pitchers.Stripling and three relievers combined on a five-hitter and held Ortiz hitless in three at-bats while Los Angeles beat Boston 3-0.Ortiz made his first start this season at first base and had two nice catches, but didnt do much at the plate.Stripling got Ortiz to ground out with two men on in the first inning, and then got him to fly out to end the third.That will be something I look back on and really remember, Stripling said. To think the legacy that he has and the year hes having, to get him out in a big jam in the first and to get him out again, thats pretty cool.Stripling (3-3) pitched five innings after being called up from the minors when pitcher Bud Norris was put on the disabled list.Making his first start for the Dodgers since May 19, he gave up hits to the first two batters and loaded the bases in the first inning. He retired Sandy Leon on a soft grounder back to the mound to end the inning.That was probably the biggest pitch I threw all day, looking back, Stripling said. I threw a 3-2 changeup after a 2-2 changeup ... and was lucky I fooled him a little bit.Stripling settled down after the rough start to retire 15 of the last 18 hitters he faced, allowing four hits and a walk and striking out four.Dayton, up from the minors on Thursday, followed with two scoreless innings, including a strikeout of Ortiz in the sixth.I was trying not to think about it, Dayton said when asked about facing Ortiz. Obviously, hes a legend, but I still had to do my job. I just tried to execute my pitches and trust (catcher) A.J. (Ellis).Kenley Jansen closed for his NL-leading 33rd save.Adrian Gonzalez added three hits and an RBI for Los Angeles. Hes batting .386 (22 for 57) since July 1 and has nine games with at least three hits this year.Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5) gave up three runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.The first ball hit by the Dodgers, a soft liner off the bat of Howie Kendrick, forced Ortiz to move to his right to make a lunging catch. With runners on first and third in the fifth, Ortiz made a diving catch of Josh Reddicks liner to end the inning.Good hands never leave you. Remember that, Ortiz said.Ortiz left in the sixth inning and Traavis Shaw shifted from third to first.ddddddddddddI just didnt want to go three days without playing, but Im OK, Ortiz said. I got a little sore out there.Mookie Betts had two hits for Boston.Corey Seager set the Dodgers rookie record with his 31st double of the season, an RBI hit that made it 2-0 in the fifth. He had been tied with Eric Karros (1992).Ellis got his first RBI since June 27 with a two-out single in the second.DISH DECISIONThe Red Sox may put newly acquired C Bryan Holaday behind plate Sunday, manager John Farrell said. Holaday was a teammate of Sunday starter David Price in Detroit in 2014-15.Holaday was claimed off waivers from Texas on Friday.There would be no hesitation for Bryan to handle David tomorrow, Farrell said. David had a lot of history with Bryan back from Detroit. Theres a comfort level there.TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia, who left Friday nights game after fouling a pitch off his left ankle, was still sore Saturday and didnt play. Farrell said Pedroia would hopefully be back in the lineup Sunday. ... OF Chris Youngs rehab assignment date will depend upon a baserunning workout Sunday. ... 1B Hanley Ramirez, after sitting out two games with a jammed left wrist, came through Fridays game without incident. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning Saturday, and Farrell expected him back in the Red Sox lineup on Sunday.Dodgers: Norris is on the disabled list with a back strain. No timetable has been set for the right-handers return. ... LHP Brett Anderson (herniated disk) will make a rehab start at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, with a 75-pitch/five-inning limit. ... OF Trayce Thompson (lower back tightness) has scaled back his baseball activities. Manager Dave Roberts said the team took measures to stabilize his back and core. ... RHP Casey Fien (elbow tendinitis) will begin a rehab stint at Arizona on Monday.NEXT UPRed Sox: LHP David Price (9-7,4.30) enters Sundays start with a 3.15 ERA over his last five outings. He leads the American League with seven double-digit strikeout games.Dodgers: RHP Brandon McCarthy (2-2,2.76) has seen the team lose each of his last four starts, despite him allowing six runs in 17 1/3 innings ( 3.12 ERA). Current Red Sox are batting .328 against McCarthy (64 at-bats). ' ' '