Top 10 Questions For Gopher Women's Hockey Entering 2019-20

The defending WCHA regular-season champions find themselves nearing a changing of the guard. After a dynasty run of four national championships in five seasons, Minnesota has come up short each of the last three NCAA Tournaments.

Among the active players, only redshirt senior Sarah Potomak, who as a rookie scored the opening goal against BC in the 2016 national championship game, knows how it feels to win one.

While winning a national championship is far from the only goal Minnesota strives for each season, the Gophers expect - both internally and by fans externally - to annually contend for the title. Minnesota came close in March, finishing second after rival Wisconsin shut out the Gophers 2-0 in the 2019 national championship game.

There remains much to like about this season’s team, however, for the first time in a while, Minnesota does not have bragging rights over the team on the other side of the St. Croix. the clear second team in both the WCHA and nationally.

Can the Gophers change that? Before the start of the season, here are 10 more questions that will be answered in Minnesota’s quest for an eighth natty title.

Game Story: Familiar Faces & Lines Lead Minnesota to Season-Opening Win (Zone Coverage)

MINNEAPOLIS- Opening the season trailing after twenty minutes, some new old faces got the Gophers on the winning track against No. 10 Mercyhurst.

No. 3 Minnesota scored four unanswered goals after changing lines, defeating the Lakers 4-2 in the season opener for both teams. Kelly Pannek and Sarah Potomak, in their return to wearing the maroon and gold, each finished with two points.

“We just needed something to spark some energy and that happened to be changing lines,” said Pannek, who spent the 2017-18 season winning an Olympic gold medal with the United States national team. “What was really cool is that everyone responded so well to it. You saw four units go out there and possess the puck, make awesome plays and it was really fun to see everyone gel and click like that so quickly.”

Minnesota (1-0-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) began the game with its top forwards spread out across all four lines. Head coach Brad Frost wanted to have balance, however, the team wasn’t able to pressure Mercyhurst (0-1-0, 0-0-0 CHA) goaltender Kennedy Blair.

Instead, the Lakers got chances and made the most of a 12 second power play when Emma Nuuitinen shot the puck past sophomore goalie Alex Gulstene.

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Gopher Hockey Notebook: Potomak plans, Lindgren speech, Novak status & more

Heralded freshman forward Amy Potomak has enrolled at the University of Minnesota. Unfortunately for Gopher fans, they will have to a while longer to see #16 skate in a game.

Potomak will take classes and practice with fifth-ranked Minnesota while continuing to redshirt, The Gopher Hockey Blog has learned. This allows her to keep a full four years of playing eligibility and get an extra semester of school. The 18 year-old will be a redshirt freshman in 2018-19 provided she doesn't skate in a game.

Potomak missed the first semester as one of 28 players centralized in Calgary with the Canadian Olympic team. Cut from the team in November, the Aldergrove, British Columbia native took her time with Gophers head coach Brad Frost making a decision. In the interim, she skated with teammate Lindsay Agnew on Canada's National Women's Development Team in the Nations Cup.

A side effect of the decision is that she will spend a semester with the team without older sister Sarah. The older Potomak, also cut from the Canadian Olympic team, will continue to redshirt by spending the semester in her native Canada.

Sarah will be a redshirt junior next season.

Sarah Potomak among final Canada Olympic cuts

Minnesota junior forward Sarah Potomak was one of Hockey Canada's final three cuts Friday for the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Having just turned 20, Potomak, who redshirted this season in order to centralize for Olympic preperations with 27 other players in Calgary, was the youngest remaining player. Along with Potomak, defenders Micah Zandee-Hart and Halli Krzyzaniak were not on the 23 woman roster named Friday (December 22, 2017).

Erin Ambrose and Sarah's younger sister Amy, who signed a letter of intent to play with the Gophers, were cut last month.

"Obviously it sucks," Sarah told me earlier this month when Team Canada was in St. Paul about seeing her sister cut. "It's obviously not fun for anyone to get cut, but it's part of the process. We just have to move forward as a team."

Sarah Potomak & Amy Potomak among 28 players named to Hockey Canada's Olympic centralization roster

When I asked Sarah Potomak about her younger sister Amy signing her Letter of Intent to play at Minnesota last November, the idea was the two of them would be teammates with the Gophers.

"I'm really excited to finally play with her at the 'U'. We're really close so it's going to be a lot of fun when she comes," she said at the time.

The two will still play together next season, however, it will be with Hockey Canada. Both Potomaks were among the 28 named to their country's Olympic centralization roster announced Thursday (May 11, 2017).

Starting in August the players will be training and preparing in Calgary for the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

BLOG: News & Notes You & I May Have Missed

I spent this past week in Chicago covering the Frozen Four for SB Nation. While that didn't stop me from being able to put up a couple stories on players leaving and decommitting, a few pieces of news slipped through the blog.

This post is to quickly catch up on any news you may have missed.

In addition, I will also get to continuing the "What's Next" series later this week.

2017 NCAA Tournament: Gophers get back Dani Cameranesi

Mixed in with national championship banners, Minnesota getting a star player back late in the season is quickly becoming a Gopher signature move.

In this case the player is senior co-captain Dani Cameranesi, who surprisingly returned last week for Minnesota from a lower body injury suffered nearly two months ago. She will be in the lineup today for the team's NCAA Quarterfinal on the road against Minnesota Duluth.

Puck drop is at 2:30 and can be streamed here.

Cameranesi was cleared a few days prior to the WCHA Final Faceoff, according to head coach Brad Frost.

Game Story: Gopher women's hockey team tops Bemidji State to advance to WCHA Final Faceoff (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

2/27/2017 Game Story

Bemidji State 2
Minnesota 3
FINAL

MINNEAPOLIS- Kelly Pannek and the rest of the Gophers women’s hockey team were aware of the stakes Sunday against Bemidji State.

Facing elimination and the pressure of a must-win Game 3, the Gophers needed a victory in the first round of the WCHA playoffs to continue controlling their own destiny. Without a win, Minnesota could have lost an opportunity to host a NCAA tournament quarterfinal. It would also leave getting a chance to defend its national championship in doubt.

Minnesota (25-6-5) brushed off a pair of scares, getting top performances from its top players. The Gophers defeated Bemidji State 3-2 at Ridder Arena to win the best-of-three series two games to one and live to play another weekend.

“Before this week even started, we knew what we had to do,” said Pannek, who finished with two goals Sunday set up by linemate Sarah Potomak. “This series shows our season, the ups and downs that we have had and fighting back from adversity in a way. Bemidji’s a great team, and they are so tough to play against. They play such a disciplined style of hockey.”

The Gophers emphasized getting out to a quick start Sunday. Following Saturday’s loss in a game it never led, Minnesota began with an 8-1 advantage in shots, testing the BSU defense with several chances by Pannek.

She was rewarded with the opening goal 10:35 into the game. Afterward, the Gophers did not trail.

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Game Story: Minnesota falls to Bemidji State 2-1, forcing Game 3 of WCHA Series (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

2/25/2017 Game Story

Bemidji State 2
Minnesota 1
FINAL

MINNEAPOLIS- With its season — and for six seniors, their college careers — on the line, Bemidji State defeated the Gophers 2-1 on Saturday to force a deciding Game 3 in the first-round WCHA series at Ridder Arena.

Ciscely Nelson’s goal with 8:51 left in regulation broke a 1-1 tie, and Bemidji State held on to snap fourth-ranked Minnesota’s 11-game unbeaten streak.

“They came out flying today,” said Sarah Potomak, who scored for the Gophers (24-6-5). “They just played unbelievable and had a great game.

“It’s unfortunate. We just need to be better and get to the dirty areas in front of the net. We’ll be looking to do that tomorrow.”

Brittni Mowat stopped 33 shots on goal for Bemidji State (12-19-3).

“We just got to get those second chances. She makes unbelievable first saves,” Potomak said.

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BLOG: Kelly Pannek and Sarah Potomak among 10 2017 Patty Kazmaier Award finalists

Minnesota forwards Kelly Pannek and Sarah Potomak are two of ten finalists for the 2017 Patty Kazmaier Award.

The award for the top player in Division 1 women's ice hockey will be handed out March 18th during the Frozen Four in St. Louis, Missouri.

Minnesota returns home rejuvenated for stretch run (SB Nation College Hockey)

(This article originally appeared at SB Nation College Hockey)

Minnesota has spent enough time on the road where the norm of late has been to practice at home all week before waking up Friday and take a road trip to an opposition rink.

Since November 27th, the Gophers have played two games at Ridder Arena, where the team is 11-0-1. That ends this weekend when Minnesota (21-5-3, 17-4-3-2 WCHA) begins a regular season-ending four game homestand when the Gophers host North Dakota. A week later Wisconsin comes to town then the Gophers play at home in the WCHA first round.

BLOG: Gopher women could be without 4 of top 9 forwards against St. Cloud State

In Brad Frost's 17 years of coaching, he has never had this many injuries happen to players, let alone key ones.

Minnesota (17-5-3, 13-4-3-2 WCHA) could be without four of its top-9 forwards this weekend when the Gophers travel to St. Cloud State for games Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Saturday (3:00 p.m.).

"By far. Not even close," said Frost about it being unprecedented to his Minnesota teams. "You have one here or there, maybe two. To have four missing a series is pretty tough."

Both senior Kate Schipper and junior Cara Piazza suffered injuries during last weekend's series against Ohio State.