Brown out for next two

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Kings have lost five straight games, and there’s no trade looming on the horizon.

(Of course, there is the Christmas freeze in place, preventing any movement in the light-trading NHL until midnight local time on Dec. 27.)

So just when you thought it couldn’t get grimmer, that at least the injury list was getting whittled down, another name was scribbled in, added to the wounded Thursday.

Dustin Brown. The same Dustin Brown who leads the Kings with 16 goals and is the team’s second-leading scorer behind Anze Kopitar. Brown sprained his shoulder in the third period in Detroit and won’t play tonight against the Blue Jackets or Saturday in Nashville.

Kings Coach Marc Crawford said that Brown won’t go on injured reserve, and had no issue with the play causing the sprain, saying if this were, for instance, a playoff game, Brown possibly could have played.

Not only does his injury take 16 goals out of the lineup, it disrupts the chemistry of what was a good line against the Red Wings. Michael Cammalleri will take Brown’s spot and join Patrick O’Sullivan and Kopitar.

Cammalleri has been struggling for most of this past month, no goals in seven games and two in his last 17.

“For me, I’ve been through points where I haven’t really scored before in my career, but never this long,” he said. “So, it’s kind of uncharted waters. Usually you get frustrated, and then one goes in and you break out of it and you forgot you were ever cold.”

The second line will feature Michal Handzus (a minus-three in Detroit) centering Ladislav Nagy and Alexander Frolov.

Nagy is returning after missing seven games because of a hip flexor, and John Zeiler, a scratch against the Red Wings, is expected to play tonight. Crawford said he also planned on using seven defensemen, meaning a rare appearance for Kevin Dallman.

“We had a very businesslike approach to today’s practice,” Crawford said. “A lot of times it was E.F. Hutton out there. And they were listening. We’re gonna get through this. We’re going to have to stick together and work and concentrate on the right things.”

TONIGHT

at Columbus, 4 PST, FSN West

Radio -- 1150.

Site -- Nationwide Arena.

Records -- Kings 12-21-2, Blue Jackets - 14-13-6.

Record vs. Blue Jackets -- 0-1

Update -- Columbus right wing David Vyborny (groin injury) should return to the lineup, having been out since Dec. 1. Center Michael Peca, though he did practice Thursday, is not expected to play tonight. For the Kings, goalie Jason LaBarbera is expected to make his third consecutive start.

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lisa.dillman@latimes.com