LOOK FAR EAST, WOMEN'S HOCKEY...

"Japan... ranks 10th in women's hockey but has 2,600 registered players -- more than Germany (961), Russia (237), China (150), Switzerland (571) and Kazakhstan (184), all represented in this tournament, combined."
Ed Tait, Winnipeg Free Press

OK, so as hooks to lure you into the Women's World Hockey Championship which begins today in Winnipeg and neighbouring Selkirk, that's not much. Japan isn't even in the nine-team tournament. However, since every international tourney in women's hockey comes with the same questions about anyone ever rising up to challenge the Big Two, the occasional superhuman goaltending performance by Sweden's Kim Martin (pictured) notwithstanding, any nugget you can wring out is worth pocketing.

Japan has developed a jonesin' for the ice-and-snow sports since hosting the 1998 Olympics, which much like Calgary '88 in Canada, necessitated building Cadillac facilities which added athletes' development. Japan dominates in women's figure skating, there's interest in curling and earlier this year goalie Yutaka Fukufuji became this first born-and-trained Japanese player in the NHL, playing in four games for the L.A. Kings. OK, that's still not much, especially since Fukufuji has struggled to win a regular job in the East Coast league. Look at it this way: Fifteen years ago no one thought countries such as Greece and Spain could beat American pros in basketball, but it's happened. Besides, it's not like Japan hasn't caught up before in endeavours that were thought to be exclusively the domain of North America.

Another analogy to draw is that Japan -- and China -- are less likely to be overshadowed by their country's men's program. That could also be important, or it could just be yours truly extrapolating after hearing the University of Tennessee hoops coach, Bruce Pearl, tell Jim Rome yesterday that he doesn't deserve to be paid more than Pat Summitt, his women's team counterpart.

In the here and now, though, while Martin is probably the best goalie at this tourney, Canada is without arguably its best young goalie and probably won't hurt their chances much. Shannon Szabados' team is still in the Alberta Junior A playoffs -- she's 8-1 with a 1.17 goals-against average and .945 save percentage through the first two rounds -- so she's unavailable.

Anyway, if you're new here, Sweden is our country for men's soccer and women's hockey. Victories by the Tre Kroner are guaranteed to make us one-quarter happy, which is more than most days. The Swedes play Russia today and the Finns tomorrow in their two pool games.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.