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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Five Minutes with Sarah Potomak
2/8/2019 6:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
Redshirt junior Sarah Potomak chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann last weekend.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Redshirt junior Sarah Potomak chatted with the Voice of Gopher Women's Hockey Dan Hamann last weekend.
Dan Hamann: My player guest today is Sarah Potomak, a junior forward from Aldergrove, British Columbia. Sarah had a big goal last night, so if we could first address the scoring drought of yours. It's not easy for a player, I'm sure, to go through. Mentally, what was it like for you to not be able to find the back of the net?
Sarah Potomak: It was tough. Battling with injuries in the first half especially, but I was trying to trust the process and go through video with coaches. I was going to the rink early because it all starts in practice. Yesterday, Heise made a great play, so I got to put it in the net.
DH: So a bouncing puck comes your way, you shoot it as hard as you can, and it hits the back of the net. What are the first thoughts running through your mind?
SP: When the puck landed there in front of the net, my first thought was, "Hit is as hard as you can!" And then when I saw it go into the net, it was evident between me and my linemates that our celebrations between us were just of relief, and we hugged each other for a little extra long. It was fun.
DH: And that celebration comes from where? It's now a celebration that's ingrained in my mind. First of all, when we were at the Frozen Four, out in New Hampshire when you got the game-winner against Wisconsin, and then you scored the first goal in the championship game against Boston College, it's the little, fist-pump thing. Where were the origins for that celebration, or is it just a natural reaction?
SP: I think it's just natural. I don't really think too much about my celebrations. Maybe when I was little I practiced them, but I think usually they're just out of relief (laughs).
DH: You have had chances though throughout this year, it just hasn't gone in. Were you starting to grab the stick a little tighter? How frustrating was it for you?
SP: I was frustrated, definitely. I think my confidence was going down a bit, and I swore there was some invisible shield in the back of the net. I had to keep going. I think every player goes through it, whether it's a really long rut or not, but I leaned on my linemates and they leaned on me, and finally, it went in. But we've been winning games by a lot, even though last night was a tough one, other than that, our goal-scoring has been through the roof.
DH: It has to be encouraging, knowing that when you're not able to score, someone else has always been able to pick up the 'slack' somewhere along the line. This team has been incredible as far as that goes and really says a lot as far as the depth of this team.
SP: For sure. I don't know if I've ever been a part of a team where all four lines score as much as we do, and our defensemen have been contributing as well. It's pretty special and unique. It's pretty dangerous when we are all on.
DH: How special is it being reunited with your sister over these last few series, and then with the addition of Taylor Heise? You guys look really sharp out there.
SP: It's been really special. They don't look like freshmen out there at all. We all work together really well and focus hard in practice, so I've been enjoying it. They're two pretty amazing players.
DH: Last night, there was an incident on the ice where you took a shot in the first period and were a little slow to get up. The next thing I see is Amy, skating all the way across the ice to give the Duluth player a little bit of an extra shot. I thought she might get a penalty for that one. The referee saw it and let it go, though. What's it like to know you have your baby sister have your back like that?
SP: It's really nice. I think if she would have gotten a penalty, Coach Frost would have been mad, but she didn't, so that was good. We both just have this fire inside of us, and if anyone on the team gets hurt or hit in a bad way, we always try to get back at them (laughs).
DH: I talked with Kelly Pannek a couple of weeks ago about her experiences and coming back to playing the college game, and it's almost like you're a pro for a year and then you come back and it's different. I talked with the radio guy from Wisconsin and he said the same thing with Emily Clark, who would have been one of your teammates as well. Have you found that transition a little tougher than you thought, or because you were removed back in December, it wasn't as big of a deal?
SP: It's been a big adjustment for me. My game overall improved in the long run, but coming back it affected me in some ways. I think I'm getting it back and trying to focus on the little things. It was definitely different, but I absolutely love being here and playing for the Gophers.
DH: What's it going to take from you and from this team in the drive for the end of the regular season and into the playoffs?
SP: I think it's just sticking together. We have five games left, so sticking to our values and what we do, especially in the little things, is what's right. Yesterday we saw that. If we get complacent, or casual, the other team will capitalize on that. I know that if we all stick to our values, we'll win.
DH: Always nice to catch up with you, Sarah. Congratulations, I'm sure there's more to come, and best of luck.
SP: Thank you!
DH: Sarah Potomak, my guest today, and you're listening to Golden Gopher Women's Hockey.
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| Listen to Potomak's interview. |
Dan Hamann: My player guest today is Sarah Potomak, a junior forward from Aldergrove, British Columbia. Sarah had a big goal last night, so if we could first address the scoring drought of yours. It's not easy for a player, I'm sure, to go through. Mentally, what was it like for you to not be able to find the back of the net?
Sarah Potomak: It was tough. Battling with injuries in the first half especially, but I was trying to trust the process and go through video with coaches. I was going to the rink early because it all starts in practice. Yesterday, Heise made a great play, so I got to put it in the net.
DH: So a bouncing puck comes your way, you shoot it as hard as you can, and it hits the back of the net. What are the first thoughts running through your mind?
SP: When the puck landed there in front of the net, my first thought was, "Hit is as hard as you can!" And then when I saw it go into the net, it was evident between me and my linemates that our celebrations between us were just of relief, and we hugged each other for a little extra long. It was fun.
DH: And that celebration comes from where? It's now a celebration that's ingrained in my mind. First of all, when we were at the Frozen Four, out in New Hampshire when you got the game-winner against Wisconsin, and then you scored the first goal in the championship game against Boston College, it's the little, fist-pump thing. Where were the origins for that celebration, or is it just a natural reaction?
SP: I think it's just natural. I don't really think too much about my celebrations. Maybe when I was little I practiced them, but I think usually they're just out of relief (laughs).
DH: You have had chances though throughout this year, it just hasn't gone in. Were you starting to grab the stick a little tighter? How frustrating was it for you?
SP: I was frustrated, definitely. I think my confidence was going down a bit, and I swore there was some invisible shield in the back of the net. I had to keep going. I think every player goes through it, whether it's a really long rut or not, but I leaned on my linemates and they leaned on me, and finally, it went in. But we've been winning games by a lot, even though last night was a tough one, other than that, our goal-scoring has been through the roof.
DH: It has to be encouraging, knowing that when you're not able to score, someone else has always been able to pick up the 'slack' somewhere along the line. This team has been incredible as far as that goes and really says a lot as far as the depth of this team.
SP: For sure. I don't know if I've ever been a part of a team where all four lines score as much as we do, and our defensemen have been contributing as well. It's pretty special and unique. It's pretty dangerous when we are all on.
DH: How special is it being reunited with your sister over these last few series, and then with the addition of Taylor Heise? You guys look really sharp out there.
SP: It's been really special. They don't look like freshmen out there at all. We all work together really well and focus hard in practice, so I've been enjoying it. They're two pretty amazing players.
DH: Last night, there was an incident on the ice where you took a shot in the first period and were a little slow to get up. The next thing I see is Amy, skating all the way across the ice to give the Duluth player a little bit of an extra shot. I thought she might get a penalty for that one. The referee saw it and let it go, though. What's it like to know you have your baby sister have your back like that?
SP: It's really nice. I think if she would have gotten a penalty, Coach Frost would have been mad, but she didn't, so that was good. We both just have this fire inside of us, and if anyone on the team gets hurt or hit in a bad way, we always try to get back at them (laughs).
DH: I talked with Kelly Pannek a couple of weeks ago about her experiences and coming back to playing the college game, and it's almost like you're a pro for a year and then you come back and it's different. I talked with the radio guy from Wisconsin and he said the same thing with Emily Clark, who would have been one of your teammates as well. Have you found that transition a little tougher than you thought, or because you were removed back in December, it wasn't as big of a deal?
SP: It's been a big adjustment for me. My game overall improved in the long run, but coming back it affected me in some ways. I think I'm getting it back and trying to focus on the little things. It was definitely different, but I absolutely love being here and playing for the Gophers.
DH: What's it going to take from you and from this team in the drive for the end of the regular season and into the playoffs?
SP: I think it's just sticking together. We have five games left, so sticking to our values and what we do, especially in the little things, is what's right. Yesterday we saw that. If we get complacent, or casual, the other team will capitalize on that. I know that if we all stick to our values, we'll win.
DH: Always nice to catch up with you, Sarah. Congratulations, I'm sure there's more to come, and best of luck.
SP: Thank you!
DH: Sarah Potomak, my guest today, and you're listening to Golden Gopher Women's Hockey.
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