Aldergrove’s Sarah Potomak has made the cut for Canada in the 4 Nations Cup women’s world championship series.
Potomak is a 20 year old forward, currently playing for the University of Minnesota in the WCHA.
She has previously played for Canada in the 2017 and 2015 Nations Cup, and recently played for Canada in August’s NWDY series against the U.S. Potomak played 13 international games for Canada last year, scoring twice and earning three assists.
Her hockey career started with the Aldergrove Minor Hockey Association as a five year old, alongside her brothers Mark, Matthew, Devin, and Brandon, and sister, Amy.
The 23 Canadian women players look to capture Canada’s first gold medal since 2014 when the event hits Canadian ice Nov. 6-10 in Saskatoon, Sask.
The roster was chosen from the 59 players invited to attend Canada’s National Women’s Team Fall Festival, Sept. 8-16 in Dawson Creek. The identification camp featured two squads participating in fitness testing, off-ice workouts, and a series of games as the national team program’s initial step in evaluating and developing players ahead of the 4 Nations Cup and other short-term international competitions during the 2018-19 season.
“This will be a good test for our players and program as we enter into a new four-year cycle leading into the next Olympics,” said Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of women’s national teams. “We have a committed and determined group of players looking to establish themselves as the top hockey nation among the best nations in the world. The 4 Nations Cup in Saskatoon will be an important measuring stick for us this season and leading into the IIHF Women’s World Championship next April.”
Canada’s roster for the 2018 4 Nations Cup includes: 14 players who won a silver medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea (Clark, Daoust, Fast, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Larocque, Nurse, Poulin, Saulnier, Spooner, Stacey, Szabados, Turnbull). Also 17 players who won a silver medal at the 2017 4 Nations Cup in Tampa, Fla. (Clark, Daoust, Fast, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Larocque, Nurse, Potomak, Poulin, Saulnier, Spooner, Stacey, Szabados, Turnbull, Zandee-Hart); nine players who won a gold medal at the 2014 4 Nations Cup in Kamloops, B.C. (Clark, Fortino, Jenner, Johnston, Krzyzaniak, Larocque, Saulnier, Spooner, Turnbull); and five players who will compete in their first 4 Nations Cup (Bourbonnais, Fillier, Gabel, Gosling, Tiley).
Canada will play a pre-tournament game on Nov. 4 against Finland in Prince Albert, Sask., before preliminary-round play against Sweden (Nov. 6), the United States (Nov. 7), and Finland (Nov. 9) at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.
The bronze- and gold-medal games will be played Saturday, Nov. 10.
Hockey Canada also announced that Perry Pearn will serve as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 4 Nations Cup. Pearn will be joined by assistant coaches Doug Derraugh, Hockey Canada alumna and four-time Olympic gold-medallist, Caroline Ouellette, who announced her retirement as a player in September, and Troy Ryan. Pasco Valana will serve as the team’s goaltending consultant.
At the conclusion of the 4 Nations Cup, Kingsbury, in consultation with head scout Melody Davidson, will continue to evaluate players through their club teams ahead of the 2019 IIHF Women’s World Championship, April 4-14, in Espoo, Finland.
Since the debut of the 4 Nations Cup in 1996, Canada’s National Women’s Team has won gold 14 times and brought home a silver medal eight times.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook