Jokinen Showing a Nasty Streak

King Coach Larry Robinson struggled for a word to describe how he wanted center Olli Jokinen to play.

“I don’t want to say nasty,” Robinson said. “Well, maybe gritty.’

Jokinen had no trouble with a description.

“Nasty,” he said Tuesday. “When I play well, I play a little nasty.”

Jokinen is big at 6 feet 3, 208 pounds, but is still a little soft at age 19. To stay in the NHL after being sent back to Finland last season, and to Springfield earlier this season, he is learning he has to use that size.

“Olli’s been playing better every game,” Robinson said. “He’s a big boy, and using the body is going to have to be his game.”

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The casualties were many Tuesday night at Edmonton, where Oiler captain Kelly Buchberger was the first victims, breaking both bones in his right arm when he was checked into the boards by the Kings’ Mattias Norstrom at 7:12 of the first period.

Later in the period, the right knee of the Kings’ Ray Ferraro was injured when he tangled with two Oilers in the corner. The seriousness of the injury will be determined today. Ferraro lost much of last season because of an injury to his left knee.

Edmonton’s Roman Hamrlik left the ice with a concussion and blood streaming from the right side of his face when he was hit with a slap shot by Rob Blake on a King power play at 5:31 of the second period. Hamrlik was to be examined today.