Tom Osiecki, who was a Gophers assistant women’s hockey coach last seaosn, said he is content coaching the U.S. national team this season. It is based at the Super Rink in Blaine and practices there most mornings.

Original plans were he would have nine forwards, six defensemen and two goalies on his roster. A smallish roster, because other players still in college will be added later.

But it hasn’t worked out that way. The U.S. team, which will provide the bulk of players for the Olympic team in 2010, has only seven forwards.

One missing forward has a head injury, another is still at Wisconsin, finishing her college work.

So on Sunday, Osiecki’s U.S. team played with only seven forwards — two lines — against the Gophers, rated No. 3 in preseason national polls.

The U.S. team won, but it was close. The game went into OT, the U.S. won 3-2 on Erica McKenzie’s second goal of the game. She is a former Gopher.

The U.S. team plays in a men’s league on Wednesdays and is 1-2 in those games. It was competitive in one of its losses, too, Osiecki said.

“It’s obvious they have never played against guys,” Osiecki said. “They are doing well, playing well and have held their own in two of three outings. Everything they do, they have to do a little better.”

On Saturday, Osiecki and his team drove up to Bemidji and then back again. In between, they smoked the Bemidji State Beavers women’s team 7-0.

So the next day, the U.S. team came out strong the first period against the Gophers, outshooting them by a 3-1 margin, but play was much more even the rest of the way.

The U.S. team also lost center Jenny Potter early because of a game disqualification, reducing the number of available forwards to six.

Still, Osiecki is not complaining. “It’s great,” he said. “I get to coach the best players in the country. It’s special.”

One of his top players is ex-Gophers star Natalie Darwitz, the team captain and first-line center.

“She is incredibly good with the puck,” Osiecki said. “She is a great skater, handles the puck as well as anybody I have seen. She anticipates in games and has great vision and moves the puck well.”

Darwitz is also a first-year assistant coach with the Gophers.

“[That job] seems to be working out just fine,” Osiecki said. “The Gophers know the selectr team is the priority with her. She only goes with the Gophers when she can. They knew that going in.

“She should be a Gophers coach. They will make it work. She is so talented.”

On Sunday, Darwitz had five shots but no points against the Gophers.

After the game, a practice shootout was held because they will decide overtime ties in WCHA women’s games this season.

Darwitz was one of the three shooters for the U.S. team and showed how unstoppable she can be.

Darwitz skated in hard on Gophers goalie Jenny Lura, stopped, seemed to take a step backward, and then put a shot over Lura who tried to cover everything low.

Darwitz made the goal look easy.  

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