Jokinen Ready to Take Another Whack at His Job

The game was not even 30 seconds old Monday night when the Kings’ Olli Jokinen took dead aim at the Mighty Ducks’ Kevin Haller and blasted him into the boards at the Great Western Forum.

It was Jokinen playing Jokinen’s game.

Jokinen’s new game.

“I’ve tried to change my game the last two weeks,” he said. “I want to hit everyone. That was my game in Finland.”

Not here. Jokinen showed a reluctance for contact during training camp and was farmed out to Springfield of the AHL. He came back to the Kings briefly chastened in November, then started hitting people.

Then he stopped, becoming like so many of the other Kings, passive on the ice.

Soon, Jokinen, 20, found himself in the press box, scratched and unhappy. Coaches saw a 6-foot-3 center who was reluctant to use his 208 pounds.

The answer was hitting people, and Jokinen picked up on it.

“We’ve got to hit the other team’s best players,” he said. “They play 25 minutes a game. Hit [the Ducks’ Teemu] Selanne and [Paul] Kariya and maybe they can’t play 25 good minutes.”

Selanne played 21:23 and Kariya 22:50 minutes, good enough for the Ducks to beat the Kings, 3-1.

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Bids are due next week for construction of the new practice center for the Kings and Lakers in El Segundo, and two target dates for opening are being considered.

The first is Oct. 1, which would allow youth and adult leagues to register to play at the two-rink facility, which also will be open for public use.

The second is Nov. 15, which presumably would be less expensive.

The facility also will have basketball courts for the Lakers and offices for the two teams. Ground-breaking is scheduled for March, and Rogie Vachon, the Kings’ vice president for special projects, said that opportunities for a “name” sponsor are being considered.

The Kings’ power play, resurgent in January, has faltered again. They are 0 for their last 19 and only one for their last 39.