I have an 8cm ovarian cyst. how likely is my surgeon going to be able to preserve the ovary at this point? is the ovary still salvageable?

Yes, definitely: Most doctors are very capable of preserving ovarian tissue with a cyst of this size. If it's important to you, make sure the doctor knows that. If he/she says they might not be able to, consider a 2nd opinion because barring completely unforseen circumstances, nearly every doctor worth their salt should be able to preserve an ovary when removing an 8cm cyst.