Five years later, Potomak back on women's world hockey championship roster

CALGARY — Sarah Potomak kept faith she could wear the Maple Leaf again, despite feeling the uncertainty that comes with rejection.

The 24-year-old forward from Aldergrove, B.C., will play for Canada in the women's world hockey championship Aug. 25 to Sept. 4 in Herning and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

When Potomak made her world championship debut in 2017 in Plymouth, Mich., Canada's youngest player at 19 scored twice and assisted on another goal in five games.

She was also the first B.C. player in two decades to play in the tournament after goaltender Danielle Dube in 1997.

Potomak (pronounced POT-oh-mack) returns to the world championship after a five-year interval.

She was invited to try out for the 2018 Olympic team, but was released from the squad.

After a knee injury kept her out of the Four Nations Cup in 2018, Potomak's name was absent from international tournament rosters until Monday.

"It's been a really long journey for me and a lot of ups and downs, and then going through COVID and cancellations and all that," Potomak told The Canadian Press. "For me to be able to finally make that team just feels really, really good.

"After 2018, being cut, and just kind of continuing to be cut, just kept picking myself back up."

Three veteran forwards from Canada's 2022 Olympic team — Natalie Spooner, Mélodie Daoust, Rebecca Johnston — opting out of selection camp created job opportunity up front.

Competition remained stiff to make the Denmark lineup, however, at a massive 142-player Calgary camp from which world championship, development, and under-18 teams were chosen.

Sarah and younger sister Amy became the first sisters to suit up for Canada together during a two-game series with the U.S. in 2016.

Amy, 23, was selected for