Titov to Center Kariya, Selanne

The Ducks’ forward lines for their eighth opening-night lineup are expected to look something like this:

Paul Kariya, German Titov and Teemu Selanne on the first line; Mike Leclerc, Antti Aalto and Marty McInnis on the second; Andrei Nazarov, Matt Cullen and Jonas Ronnqvist on the third; and Dan Bylsma, Ladislav Kohn (or Tony Hrkac) and Jim Cummins on the fourth.

The defense pairs:

Oleg Tverdovsky and Ruslan Salei; Patrick Traverse and Vitaly Vishnevski; and either Jason Marshall and Niclas Havelid or Pascal Trepanier and Pavel Trnka.

Guy Hebert is expected to start in goal.

Top-line center Steve Rucchin will start the season on the injured-reserve list because of a broken left wrist. He was injured Sept. 22 and probably will be sidelined about two more weeks.

“There’s always a big burst of energy to start the first game,” Coach Craig Hartsburg said when asked what he expects from the Ducks tonight against the expansion Minnesota Wild.

“To me, that’s great, but let’s make sure it’s focused and controlled.”

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One of the benefits of their newfound depth, the Ducks say, will be giving Kariya a break from his penalty-killing duties. Kariya has been fired from the unit, making way for Bylsma. The Ducks were 28th and last in the NHL last season with a 79.1% success rate on the penalty kill.

“Instead of using our best offensive players, we’re going to put some other guys out there,” Hartsburg said. “It will enable our best guys to rest and focus on other things. We want Paul Kariya as fresh as possible on our power play and in five-on-five situations.”

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The Ducks opened their inaugural season at home, losing to the Detroit Red Wings, 7-2, Oct. 8, 1993. The next six season openers were a frequent-flier’s delight. But after openers at Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Tokyo (for two games against the Vancouver Canucks), Washington and Dallas, the Ducks finally open a season at home again. The Ducks are 0-7 in season openers.

TONIGHT

vs. Minnesota, 7:30, Fox Sports Net 2

* Site--Arrowhead Pond.

* Radio--XTRA (690).

* Records (1999-2000)--Ducks 34-36-12-3, Wild’s first game.

* Update--Don’t look for the Wild to offer much offensive brilliance tonight. Coach Jacques Lemaire played the neutral-zone trap in New Jersey and he will play it again in Minnesota. The defensive style will help keep the Wild competitive. There aren’t many familiar names on the Wild roster, but defenseman Sean O’Donnell is a former King. The Ducks and Wild split two exhibitions, which produced two suspensions. O’Donnell was suspended for six exhibitions for cracking Aalto from behind in the Sept. 20 game at the Pond. Kariya was suspended for one exhibition for slashing Aaron Gavey in the Sept. 29 rematch at St. Paul, Minn. The Ducks’ media relations department issued 35 credentials for Twin Cities reporters, columnists, photographers and TV camera operators. A caravan of reporters in rental cars followed the team bus from the Wild’s Anaheim hotel to a nearby rink to cover Thursday’s practice.

* Tickets--(714) 703-2545.