VANCOUVER -- The Vancouver Canucks are still looking for a good option to play with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin while regular linemate Alexandre Burrows recovers from a broken jaw.

Coach John Tortorella admitted that neither Jannik Hansen nor David Booth has been effective while taking turns on that top line since Burrows was injured four games ago. Tortorella also made it clear Zack Kassian, who scored five goals in the first seven games alongside the Sedins last season, isn't going to get a turn anytime soon.

There was a lot of talk about Kassian getting a regular shot with the Sedins coming into training camp, and he did in preseason before an eight-game suspension for breaking the jaw of Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner with his stick. That included missing the first five games of the regular season, and Kassian has spent most of his time since on the third or fourth line, averaging 11:20 of ice time and sitting out as a healthy scratch once.

"I am not ready to put him in those situations when I am playing that line against probably one of their top two lines on the opposing team," Tortorella said of playing Kassian with the Sedins. "We are still in the process of trying to get Zack to process the game, not only with the puck but away from the puck. It's tough when you have to worry about pucks going in the back of your net, when players just aren't ready to read those situations. I don't feel he has learned that part of the game well enough to be put in those situations."

It's Friday the 13th, and NHL Live with Steve Mears and E.J. Hradek, at 5 p.m. ET on NHL Network, will celebrate the superstitious day by taking a look at some of the "unluckiest" moments of the season.

Three games are on the NHL schedule, including the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the New Jersey Devils. We'll go out to Consol Energy Center on our Arena Cam and talk to Phil Bourque about the recent play of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and the matchup with the Devils.

Bill Lindsay will call in to talk Florida Panthers hockey ahead of their game with the Washington Capitals, and E.J. faces off against analyst Kevin Weekes to debate some of the game's hottest topics. We'll also be joined by Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche.

Leading up to the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 1 from The Big House at the University of Michigan, we'll start our countdown of the top outdoor moments at No. 20.

Remember to submit your #AskEJ questions through Twitter via @NHLNetwork or @EJHradek_NHL, and join the conversation on Twitter as we ask you to pick the game of the night.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Florida Panthers goalie Tim Thomas will miss the game against the Washington Capitals on Friday because of a lower-body injury, but will be on the team's Canadian trip next week. He's considered day-to-day.

Thomas, who has started 15 of the Panthers' past 16 games, was injured during practice Thursday. It's the third time this season Thomas has been injured.

Thomas missed four games in mid-October after being forced to leave in the first period of a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. In his third game back, he left the ice late in the third period of a 3-2 shootout loss against the Chicago Blackhawks.

"With him, needing him in this situation, we just want to be overly cautious," Panthers interim coach Peter Horachek said after the morning skate. "We just want to be extra safe."

PITTSBURGH -- The New Jersey Devils will attempt to rebound from surrendering a two-goal lead in their previous game when they face the Metropolitan Division-leading Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.

New Jersey lost 5-4 to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday after holding a 3-1 lead in the second period. Columbus leapfrogged New Jersey, which is in seventh place in the division with 30 points.

After a 1-4-0 start to December, New Jersey looks at this game against the Penguins as a chance to right the ship.

"I don't think we played a poor, poor game [against Columbus]," Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. "I think there were some things we needed to clean up, but we're in a situation where we can't afford to let one loss turn into two.

"I think we'll be good tonight and it's going to be a tough test."

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik skated briefly Friday morning, though he won't take part in the team's game-day skate prior to playing the New Jersey Devils.

Orpik skated with injured teammates Rob Scuderi and Tanner Glass, who are also on injured reserve.

When the United States National Junior Team selection camp opens on Sunday at the University of Minnesota, goalie Jon Gillies and forwards Riley Barber and Ryan Hartman realize the real work is just beginning.

All three players are returning to camp after playing a part in the gold medal-winning effort at the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.

Hartman, selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (No. 30) of the 2013 NHL Draft, had two goals, three points and a plus-4 rating in seven games as a checking-line forward at last season's tournament. He has 10 goals and 23 points in 22 games with the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers in 2013-14.

"I'm extremely thrilled to be back," Hartman told NHL.com. "Whenever you are given an opportunity to represent your country, it's always an honor. It's something you really have to take advantage of."

Heading into this season, it's fair to say both the New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks had pretty high expectations. But these two teams have gone in opposite directions as they've opened the final month of 2013. And the reason behind the Rangers' struggles and Ducks' success can be pinpointed to a few basic principles.

Right now it's a very critical time for the Rangers. It's New York. It's an Original Six team. It's the biggest market in the NHL. The Rangers have got to get in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and their current franchise-record nine-game homestand is the perfect place to start that run.

Unfortunately, they started the homestand with an 0-3-1 record, including a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

They're playing an inconsistent brand of hockey right now. The saving grace for them is they know they can play better, and they're in the Eastern Conference and not the West. My challenge with the Rangers right now, based on their makeup, is I don’t know if they have enough skill to be a purely skilled team and I don't think they're gritty enough throughout their lineup to be able to play a power game. They're caught in between. They're capable of doing both of those things well. But what are they committed to?

At 13:25 of the third period in the Canadiens/Flyers game, video review supported the referee's call on the ice that Montreal forward Brian Gionta used his left hand to direct the puck into the Philadelphia net. According to Rule 67.6 "a goal cannot be scored by an attacking player who bats or directs the puck with his hand into the net". No goal Montreal.

Calgary Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke joined NHL Live to discuss the decision to relieve general manager Jay Feaster and assistant GM John Weisbrod of their duties.

Burke explained how he submitted a report on the state of the team and front office staff to ownership, and subsequently made his recommendation, part of which was to not take over the GM reigns.

"I think it would look pretty poor on me to go back now to the owners and [Flames president and CEO] Ken King and say, 'I know that's what we talked about, but I want this job,'" Burke said. "I think if my ulterior motive was to get Jay's job, I probably wouldn't have been rational or fair or balanced in that report, which I was."

NHL Live was joined by Kris Draper, the special assistant to the general manager for the Detroit Red Wings, to discuss the 2013 Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings Alumni Showdown on Dec. 31, and the addition of Steve Yzerman to the Red Wings' team.

"It's great for Hockeytown, hockey fans, the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit," Draper said. "To be able to get Stevie out there for one more game, it's going to be a huge thrill for all of us to have him there. Comerica Park is expecting 35-to-38,000 people. It's going to be quite an ovation and certainly well-deserved for all the great things he did for the Red Wings organization."