(Thumbnail Image: USA Today)

"Botterill moving. Backhanded one. Moving and score. Nice deflection by Kingsbury. It is 18." (NBC Sports)

Women's ice hockey was first introduced as an Olympic sport in 1998.  Ever since, USA and Canada have dominated -- outscoring their opponents by an average of 8 to 1 per game. 

The lack of competition from other countries is raising the issue of whether the sport should be continued past the Vancouver games.

Some critics don't have the patience to wait for other teams to get better. A Yahoo sports writer says the difference in skill level is embarrassing for countries and the Olympics.

But the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation sees the competitive imbalance as showing signs of improvement. 

Tim Wharnsby: "Well that's been a big criticism of women's hockey at the Olympics. It's a two team tournament but if you remember Suhana, in 2006 in Turin the Sweden team surprised the United States in the semi-final. They beat them 3-2 to advance to the gold medal game against Canada. So I think if there is one country that is trying to close the gap between the powers of the U.S. and Canada it's the Swedes."

The Toronto Sun hopes the International Olympic Committee will step in.

"The IOC and its hockey members better do something to get this wildly uneven competition sorted out. Relaxed citizenship rules for American and Canadian players with foreign parents or grandparents might help stock overseas teams with more talent. Maybe a plan designed to get European women enrolled in Canadian and American universities with hockey programs would help, too."

Will results from the Vancouver games end women's hockey in the Olympics? Or can other countries catch up to Canada and the U.S.?

Writer: Amanda Klohmann
Producer: Newsy Staff