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."

BLOG: Amy Potomak cut from Canadian Olympic team; Gophers celebrate Thanksgiving

Both Minnesota hockey teams are on the road this weekend. The Gopher men's team is in South Bend, Indiana while the Gopher women's team travels to Saint Charles, Missouri to face Lindenwood. However, they each spent Thanksgiving differently.

The men's team traveled Thursday and is celebrating Thanksgiving together in group bonding before facing #4 Notre Dame.

The women's team let everyone go home - or for those out of staters, to someone's house - to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. Minnesota instead is flying out Friday morning.

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.