ants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Hes fine, but I didnt want it to become an issue.

WASHINGTON -- Patrik Laine isnt afraid to be himself, whether hes talking or playing hockey.The No. 2 pick in the NHL draft thought he deserved to be No. 1 and said so. His on-ice persona is just as confident, and itll be put to the test playing for Finland at the World Cup of Hockey.Laine is the youngest player in the tournament, and the Winnipeg Jets prospect is eager to show he belongs with the best.Im going to have to prove that to everybody, and Im going to show that when the tournament starts, Laine said.Laines offensive arsenal has more moves than his surname, which is pronounced Line-EH. He can shake defenders out of their skates but is best known for a wicked shot, which he used to beat Jonathan Quick in Finlands exhibition game against the United States on Tuesday.On a team that lacks the talent on paper of Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Russia, Laine has the ability to singlehandedly take a game over, despite being just under 18 years, 5 months old.When we named Patrik (to) this team, we know that he (had) good offensive-game skills and that shot was unbelievable, coach Lauri Marjamaki said. Of course hes a young guy, but he has something we need and were trying to find some new elements about our offensive game.Picking Laine was a risk, though he earned it by scoring seven goals and adding five assists in 10 games at the world hockey championship in the spring. It was no surprise that he lit up the world juniors over the winter, but he had grown-up production playing with and against grown men.Laines influence has continued leading up to the World Cup, as he struggled in the first two exhibition games before finding a groove.Hes just 18 years old, and I think he plays like a major player, linemate Aleksander Barkov said.Laine is a major player for Finland and could start the tournament alongside Barkov and either Teuvo Teravainen or 19-year-old Sebastian Aho. Hell have chances to back up his braggadocio from before the draft, when he said the Toronto Maple Leafs should have selected him first overall instead of Auston Matthews. Hes not shying away from that, even while older teammates tell him players werent like that back in their day.I know thats how good I am, and I can say that, Laine said. Its not a problem for me. And if thats a problem to somebody else, its not my problem. I dont care what people think. I know that Im a good player and Im going to stick with that.Laines talent isnt debatable, but there are questions about adjusting to smaller NHL rinks and, in this tournament, fitting into Finlands team-first, stringent structure. The Finns hallmark is to play stronger as a group than as individual players, so its on Laine to fit into that concept without losing his creativity.He plays structure as good as anyone, captain Mikko Koivu said. But for sure when you get a skillset like that that can make a difference in a hockey game, I think youve just got to be careful when you use it and where.While plenty cocky about his game, Laine still has his teenage moments. His mother is moving to Winnipeg with him to help him adjust to North America, and after practice this week he stared in awe at some teammates lockers -- after watching them in the NHL, hes now playing with them.Laine gets the benefit of plenty of veterans on and around Finland, most notably Teemu Selanne, who set the rookie goal-scoring record with 76 back in 1992-93 playing in, of course, Winnipeg. Selanne plans to talk with Laine about the NHL, Winnipeg and more during the World Cup.Everybody in their lives cant speak with those kind of players, Laine said. Its so good to have that kind of opportunity to talk with him and discuss about games and everything.For all his boasting, Laine concedes he has plenty of learning to do. He expects to get better game by game, which is a scary proposition for the rest of the teams in the World Cup and the NHL.People sometimes forget the guys 18 years old playing here, forward Lauri Korpikoski said. Ive been really impressed by him. Hes got a really bright future ahead of him.---Follow Stephen Whyno on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/SWhyno . Vapormax Womens Clearance . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Cheap Vapormax 3 China . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/nike-air-vapormax-2-0-floral-pure-platinum-arctic-pink-white-clearance.html . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Cheap Vapormax 2020 China . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Fake Vapormax 3 . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. SAN FRANCISCO -- Zack Wheeler used to have long talks with Sergio Romo when they were teammates in the Giants organization, and the young pitcher is good pals with Mike Kickham. None of that mattered when Wheeler took the mound at AT&T Park for the first time. He just wanted to pitch well. Wheeler threw seven sharp innings, Marlon Byrd homered again and the New York Mets completed their first sweep in San Francisco since 1994 with a 7-2 win Wednesday. "I was drafted by the Giants and obviously wanted to pitch here," Wheeler said. "I didnt know how I was going to feel when I got out there. Honestly, I was relaxed." Daniel Murphy and John Buck each had two hits and drove in two runs as the Mets won their fourth in a row, including three straight over the slumping World Series champions. The Giants have lost 16 of 19. Wheeler (3-1), selected by the Giants with the sixth overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, took a shutout into the seventh. He allowed one run and three hits, struck out five and walked three. "Thats the best all-around stuff Ive seen," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He pounded the strike zone and got outs. He has a chance to be very good." San Francisco dealt Wheeler to the Mets in July 2011 for outfielder Carlos Beltran. The trip to San Francisco brought back memories from his time with the Giants. "Romo and me would talk all the time," Wheeler said. "Hed sit me down and talk me through things. It was fun to be able to watch him pitch the first night." Matt Cain (5-6) lasted less than an inning for the first time in his career, giving up three runs and two hits while walking three and getting just two outs. He is 0-3 with a 6.38 ERA in his last five starts. "We needed a chance to win it, and I wasnt giving them an opportunity right there," Cain said. "I was walking guys. They got a couple of hits they needed, and that was it." San Francisco dropped to 440-50, its first time 10 games under .dddddddddddd500 since the Giants finished 72-90 in 2008, according to STATS. San Francisco was swept at home for the first time since July 27-29 last year against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wheeler retired 14 of his first 16 hitters before Pablo Sandoval singled for the Giants first hit with two outs in the fourth. Wheeler also hit an RBI double. "He was a lot more efficient getting ahead," Buck said. "He just needed to get his feet wet and feel a little more comfortable, but hes also working hard in things." Cains home ERA rose to 5.94, the second-highest among qualifying NL pitchers and more than double his 2.03 ERA in San Francisco last year. "He was disappointed to come out, but I had to make the call," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Hes fine, but I didnt want it to become an issue. He was going on 40 pitches there and I didnt want to push him through again." New York took a 3-0 lead in the first. Eric Young walked, stole second went to third on catcher Buster Poseys throwing error and scored on Murphys single. Ike Davis and Kirk Nieuwenhuis walked, and Buck ended Cains day with a two-run single. Kickham retired 12 of his first 14 hitters into the fifth. That stretch ended when Davis singled and Byrd followed with his 15th homer and second in two days. Wheeler and Murphy each doubled home a run in the sixth to make it 7-0. Brandon Crawford singled home a run in the Giants eighth, and Tony Abreu hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth. NOTES: Giants RHP Santiago Casilla could be activated Thursday. ... LHP Madison Bumgarner (9-5, 3.05) will start for the Giants on Thursday night in San Diego. Hes 5-3 in 15 games against the Padres. ... RHP Jeremy Hefner (4-6, 3.39) gets the start for the Mets on Friday night at Pittsburgh. Since June 4, his ERA is 1.64. ... Mets INF David Wright extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single in the ninth. 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