Rookie Jokinen Reunited With Camp Linemates

Rookie Olli Jokinen will skate between Glen Murray and Luc Robitaille tonight against the St. Louis Blues, and the grouping will look familiar to anybody who has followed the Kings over the last couple of months.

Jokinen, the Kings’ first choice in the 1997 entry draft, skated with Murray and Robitaille in training camp before being farmed out to Springfield of the American Hockey League. Jokinen, 19, has returned after nine games with the Falcons to resume his quest to make it in the NHL.

“Nine games in Springfield are enough,” he said.

During those nine games he had three goals and six assists, and worked to learn the difference between the European game he played in his native Finland and the North American game of the NHL.

“I played a lot, and that’s helped me,” he said. “I played 30-35 minutes every game, because there are only nine forwards on the team.”

The European game is played on a larger sheet of ice.

“It’s different with a small rink,” he said. “Everything is quicker. Always, when you get to the blue line there is a scoring chance. You have to be careful in your own zone also. If you lose your own man, maybe he scores right away. You have to be ready all the time.”

The key is playing more physical hockey, which he was sent to Springfield to learn.

“Now I know what style I must play if I want to play in the NHL,” he said. “I must hit everybody and score goals and shoot the puck. And stop goals. In Finland, in the bigger rink, you can turn away, but here, you have to stop them.”

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Center Ian Laperriere rejoins the Kings tonight after missing time because of a partially torn knee ligament. Laperriere skates on a line with another newcomer, Eric Lacroix, and Steve McKenna.

TONIGHT vs. St. Louis

7:30, Fox Sports West

Site--Great Western Forum.

Radio--KRLA (1110).

Records--Kings 4-5-2, Blues 5-3-2.

Record vs. the Blues (1997-98)--0-3-1.

Update--This is the first time the teams have met since last season’s playoffs, in which St. Louis dispatched the Kings in four games, three of them decided by one goal. Before Wednesday night’s game at Anaheim, the Blues were led by defenseman Al MacInnis, who had six goals and 11 points, and Pavol Demitra, with three goals and seven points, but the rest of the scoring--what little there has been--is scattered. The Kings come off back-to-back shutouts for the first time in Forum history and are struggling offensively, with more than two goals in only three of their 11 games.