Second to no one

Teemu Selanne scooped in the puck during Friday's exhibition against Phoenix, flew past the blue line, dipped his shoulder and blasted a shot over the glove of the helpless goalkeeper.

Two seconds is all it took.

And Brendan Morrison, Selanne's new center on the Ducks, had the best seat in the house.

"Perfect view, right behind him," Morrison said. "I looked up and he's gone."

As the Ducks open the season tonight at San Jose, Morrison will be counted on to do more than watch when Selanne is on the ice. They are being paired on the second line, along with Chris Kunitz, in the hope that their speed generates more scoring.

The Ducks combined for the third-fewest goals in the NHL last season, primarily because there wasn't much scoring being done except for the Ryan Getzlaf-anchored top line.

Selanne, who sat out half of last season as he considered retirement after finally winning the Stanley Cup, is the club's all-time leading scorer. Once he rejoined the team, his ability to score helped get the Ducks into the playoffs, but they lost in the first round.

Kunitz had a career-high 25 goals and 60 points while playing alongside Selanne in the 2006-07 championship season, and Morrison -- a free agent signed in July -- scored at least 50 points in seven consecutive seasons before a string of injuries slowed his production in 2007-08.

"I don't know if you can even call them the second line," said Getzlaf, who will open the season with Corey Perry and Travis Moen as linemates. "Having those two legitimate scoring lines, it's going to help our group push forward."

Coach Randy Carlyle says he is impressed with the chemistry Selanne and Morrison developed in training camp. Their ability to play together was evident in Friday's 4-1 victory against Phoenix. Selanne scored three goals and Morrison had three assists.

Add Kunitz to the mix, and the second-line speed should make it difficult on opponents.

"We think it's important that they play that up-tempo game," said Carlyle, who predicts the line's goal production will grow as Selanne and Morrison grow more familiar with each other.

Selanne agreed.

"He's a great passer," Selanne said of Morrison. "He can see the game well and that's always good for a guy like myself because I know if I get open, the puck is coming and that makes me very active."