KINGS NOTEBOOK: ONLY FOCUS IS PLAYOFFS.

Byline: Matt McHale Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - A month ago, the Kings trailed Vancouver by 12 points in the Western Conference.

The deficit now stands at two and the Kings have a chance to move into seventh place in the Western Conference tonight when they play host to the Canucks at Staples Center.

It certainly didn't hurt that the Mighty Ducks beat Vancouver 2-1 Sunday night with a goal by Peter Tenkrat with just more than a minute to play in regulation. But for the Kings, the reason for the surge has been goaltender Felix Potvin, who will face Vancouver for the first time since it traded him to the Kings on Feb. 16.

Potvin, 29, is 11-4-4 with a 1.96 goals-against average since leaving the Canucks, who demoted him to the minors after an inconsistent season. But with a playoff appearance hinging on the final four games of the regular season, Potvin hasn't gotten caught up in the emotion of facing his former team.

``We've all seen these games on the schedule the past few weeks, but it's not something to get caught up in,'' said Potvin, who is coming off back-to-back shutouts against Columbus and Colorado. ``Our focus right now is making the playoffs. You don't want to get sidetracked with anything else.''

Kings coach Andy Murray also has tried to downplay Potvin's reunion with the Canucks. Potvin played just parts of two seasons in Vancouver, joining the team in the middle of last year after a trade with the New York Islanders.

Murray thinks Potvin is most associated with Toronto, where he played seven seasons and led the Maple Leafs to back-to-back conference finals appearances.

``He's been traded before,'' Murray said. ``We've talked about the Vancouver games and he seems very comfortable with them.''

Potvin will be making his 20th consecutive start tonight. The Kings have guarded against fatigue by giving him practices off between starts. Potvin practiced Friday after facing Columbus but was given Sunday off after beating the Avs.

--What's next: Potvin's emergence at the Kings' No. 1 goaltender makes the back-up spot an interesting question for next year. Jamie Storr was given the chance to be No. 1 this year but faltered in the role. Storr, 25, is eligible for salary arbitration this summer.

Stephane Fiset was the projected opening-night goaltender, but his season was limited to seven games by a pair of serious injuries to his left knee. Fiset is more accustomed to starting than Storr. But Fiset also has two years remaining on his contract and with all the injuries could be difficult to move.

Potvin is earning $2.7 million this year and is eligible for arbitration this summer.

--Back and forth: A victory tonight could move the Kings past the Canucks and No. 8 Phoenix. The Coyotes do not play again until playing the Kings on Tuesday in Phoenix.

It appeared the Kings could pass Phoenix on Saturday after beating Colorado 4-0. But the Coyotes came back Saturday night and beat San Jose 3-1. That kept the Kings one point back (87-86) but with one less game.

Vancouver and Phoenix have played 79 games, the Kings 78. The first tiebreaker is victories. The Kings have 36, Vancouver 35, Phoenix 34.

Also, if the Kings win their final four games, they will tie last year's point total of 94, fourth best in franchise history.

--Quick whistles: Nine of the Canucks' 14 games in March went to overtime (1-2-6). With the Canucks playing their second consecutive game tonight, expect the Kings to come hard at Vancouver in the first period. Fatigue is the biggest enemy of teams in the second game of back-to-backs.

KINGS vs. VANCOUVER

Time: 7:30 p.m., Staples Center.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Net; 1110-AM.

Matchup: With two games in the next four days, the final spot in the West could come down to these two teams. Since leading scorers Markus Naslund (broken leg) and Andrew Cassels (sprained ankle) went down, Vancouver has struggled on the power play. Against the Ducks on Sunday, they were held without a shot on their first five chances with the man-advantage. The Canucks offense also has been slumping. LW Peter Schaefer scored his first goal in nine games Sunday. C Harold Druken has no goals in 11 games; C-RW Denis Pederson, no goals in 14 games; D Mattias Ohlund, minus-15 in his last 11 games. Dan Cloutier, who made Felix Potvin expendable when he was acquired from Tampa Bay, entered Sunday's action 1-0-5 in his last six games.

- Matt McHale

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KINGS vs. VANCOUVER (see text)