A relaxed Potvin helping Canucks in playoff drive

 His play was erratic. He went down too early to block shots. He let in soft goals.

 The Vancouver Canucks were losing and The Cat, acquired in a Dec.

 19 trade, was coughing up hair balls. The frustrated fans, the few who bothered to attend games, were calling for general manager Brian Burke's head for trading away young goaltender Kevin Weekes.

 Now, with the Canucks in the drive for their first playoff berth in four years, Potvin has suddenly become the second coming of King Richard Brodeur, who led Vancouver to the 1981-82 Stanley Cup final.

 Potvin has posted a 5-3-1 record in starting the last nine games and will be in goal tonight when Vancouver plays the Red Wings in Detroit. Since the all-star break, Potvin has a 10-6-3 record as the Canucks erased a 13-point deficit and moved to within two points of the final playoff spot in the NHL's Western Conference.

 Potvin, 28, said his improved play is a result of becoming more comfortable with his Canuck teammates.

 "Once you get a little time to settle in, get more friendly with the team and get a little comfortable in the net, it allows you to relax a little more and be more patient," he said. "I'm a little more patient back there.

 "I don't try to go after the puck all the time, I let it come to me. I stand up more."

 Coach Marc Crawford said it also took time for Potvin to learn the idiosyncrasies of the Canucks defence.

 "He understands the players he's playing with, maybe where to leave the puck for certain defencemen," said Crawford. "Understanding how the defencemen are going to react in front of you is a big part of assessing, then making your move as a goaltender."

 To get Potvin from the New York Islanders, Burke not only traded away Weekes but also dealt second-year winger Bill Muckalt and third-year centre Dave Scatchard. He then declared Potvin Vancouver's starting goalie over popular veteran Garth Snow.

 With his play deteriorating, Potvin found himself in the middle of a goaltending controversy and faced the wrath of local fans.

 "Any time there is a trade there are people who are happy with it, there are people who are not," said the native of Anjou, Que., adding Snow has been very supportive of him. "There's nothing you can do about it.

 "The only thing you can do is focus on your game, work hard in practice, get results in games."

 Captain Mark Messier said the team has become confident in Potvin's abilities.

 "The team is starting to really feel comfortable playing in front of him," said Messier. "It takes some time when you do get traded to feel that."

 Potvin spent his first six years in Toronto, leading the Maple Leafs to two Western Conference final berths. He twice won 30 or more games and topped 25 wins three other times.

 He became expendable when the Leafs signed free-agent Curtis Joseph in 1998. Potvin was traded to Islanders, where he had a 7-21-4 record in 33 games.

 Potvin's resurrection from hockey purgatory has been welcomed by his teammates.

 "He's probably the biggest reason why we're at where we are now," said Markus Nasland. "He surprised all of us.

 "I didn't realize how good he is. He gives you a solid feeling for 60 minutes."

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