Brown Sidelined Again Because of His Ankle

Rookie forward Dustin Brown already has paid a stiff price because of an ankle injury. It apparently will cost him more.

Brown, who sat out 26 consecutive games because of a severely sprained left ankle, returned two weeks ago but fell back onto the injured reserve list Monday.

Brown re-injured the ankle last Tuesday during a pre-game practice in Calgary. Brown and defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky, out because of a shoulder injury, did not make the five-game trip that starts tonight against the Minnesota Wild.

Brown initially hurt his ankle Nov. 29 against the Chicago Blackhawks and returned Jan. 24 against the Mighty Ducks. He played in two games after that.

Brown “hasn’t improved the last four days,” King Coach Andy Murray said, though “they don’t think it’s as bad as it originally was.”

Forward John Tripp and defensemen Tim Gleason and Tomas Zizka were recalled from Manchester (N.H.) to help fill the open rosters spots.

Visnovsky is out until at least next week because of nerve damage in his right shoulder incurred after getting checked headfirst into the boards Jan. 31 against the Edmonton Oilers.