Jokinen talks about the Olympics

Jokinen pursues `dream' vs. U.S. on Wednesday in quarterfinals

BY SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Miami Herald

TURIN, Italy - Florida Panthers center Olli Jokinen said before he left for Italy that the one thing missing among his international medal collection was an Olympic gold, silver or bronze.

"That's our dream, and we're underdogs," Jokinen said of the Finnish ice hockey team, "but any color medal would be great. I've saved a place in my office for that medal."

The underdogs are now thriving, and Jokinen is two victories away from ensuring the vacant spot in his office will be filled. Undefeated Finland (5-0) meets the struggling United States (1-3-1) in today's quarterfinal game in Turin.

"Obviously, I don't have a Stanley Cup either," Jokinen said Monday, just moments after Finland defeated Germany 2-0. "But on the international level, I've been able to get some medals at the world championships. An Olympic medal would be big - huge, actually. As a Finnish kid you dream about playing in the Olympics. Hopefully we'll be able to get a win, so that way at least we have a chance to play for a medal."

Jokinen, 27, has scored three goals this tournament, two against Switzerland and one against Italy. He also has an assist.

"If your team is 5-0, everybody can be happy," Jokinen said. "We've played well. Lots of people were saying Canada was the favorite. But we don't really worry about anyone else. These first five games were like practice games. The main focus for all the countries is to be in the top shape in the quarterfinal game."

The United States finished pool play Tuesday with a 5-4 loss to Russia.

Jokinen plays on the second line for Finland. Olympic teammate Saku Koivu, captain of the Montreal Canadians, leads the tournament with seven assists.

"I wouldn't say he's behind me," Koivu said of Jokinen. "Just look at his stats the last couple of years in the NHL. He has scored a ton of goals and has been a big leader for the team there. A tournament like this, when it's just two weeks, sometimes the puck is bouncing for some guys more than others.

"We grew up watching this (Finnish) jersey playing for our country and those are our first memories as hockey players. When you talk to your parents and people back home, we're a small country, but almost everyone is watching these Games and winning with us. It does bring us together."

Jokinen said he has played against two of his three Panthers teammates in the Olympics: goalie Roberto Luongo of Canada, and Rostislav Olesz of the Czech Republic. Jozef Stumpel of Slovakia is also in Turin.

"We have our own schedule, so I really haven't seen them," Jokinen said. "This is not a vacation, and we don't really have any time to do anything other than play hockey."

Jokinen said he prefers the NHL's smaller ice surface to the larger Olympic one - "When you play 82 games with the smaller surface, obviously you like that better" - but doesn't really care one way or the other. "The hockey puck is the same and the sticks are the same anyway, so it doesn't really matter," he said. "I'm not really thinking about the NHL and the Panthers now anyway. I'm focusing on my national team.

"Every player dreams of the gold, but the competition is hard and there are seven, eight countries with a chance to win. The real games start tomorrow (Wednesday)."

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