Visnovsky Is Unable to Play

Lubomir Visnovsky looked as though he had gone 10 rounds with a welterweight, a shiner encircling his right eye and five stitches snaking out from the corner of it.

Then he spoke after the Saturday morning skate, sounding slightly dazed and somewhat confused.

Visnovsky did not play Saturday night against the Colorado Avalanche because he felt lightheaded, suffering from concussion-like symptoms after getting struck in the eye Thursday by the stick of Phoenix Coyote center Daymond Langkow.

“First time in my life I’ve felt like that,” said Visnovsky, who has not been diagnosed with a concussion. “My eye is good, my head is bad.”

Visnovsky, who leads King defensemen in scoring with six goals and 14 assists, was replaced by Tim Gleason. It is unknown when Visnovsky will return, leaving the King defense without two key players.

Aaron Miller sat out his fifth consecutive game because of a pinched nerve in his neck, sustained Dec. 10 against Atlanta.

Help could be on the way soon. Brad Norton, who can play wing or defense, could be cleared for contact Monday by team doctors. Norton has been out since tearing two forearm tendons in a Sept. 30 exhibition game.

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Noah Clarke, the first Southern California native to play for the Kings, was a healthy scratch. He has one assist in two games.