2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics: Women's Ice Hockey Is a Four-Horse Race

The United States men's hockey team isn't the only group of icers hoping to make some noise in Vancouver: the women are a solid group, too.

In a sport dominated by Finland and Canada, the American women are quickly becoming one of the world's dominate forces on the rink.

Led by four-time Olympian Angela Ruggiero, the USA women are an incredibly deep and talented unit. The 30-year-old defenseman knows the game, she's coached and played it her whole life. Ruggiero is the driving force behind Team USA's aspirations of striking gold in Vancouver.

The American women are seeking their first gold medal in over a decade. They took home the world's top honors at the 1998 Nagano games, won silver in Salt Lake City in 2002, and garnished the bronze in Turino's 2006 games.

On the offensive side, 31-year-old Jenny Potter will be lighting the lamp on a regular basis. Potter netted a hat-trick against an underpowered and inexperienced China squad on Sunday's opening match.

Team Finland, Canada, and Russia are amongst the world's elite and will present a higher level of competition for the state-siders.

Canada is coming off an 18-0 drubbing of Slovakia, much like the Americans' 12-1 trouncing of the Chinese on Valentines Day. The Canadians are another team steeped in experience, but they also tout some of the best young female hockey talent available.

Hailey Irwin (21), Meghan Agosta (23), and Sarah Vaillancourt (24) anchor a youthful unit for our northern neighbors.

Canada's female elite won gold in Turino and Salt Lake, with a silver medal in Nagano. Hockey Canada's multiple gold medals in international competition make its women's team the bunch to beat.

With the bar set high by the world's best, the less experienced will be schooled in the early rounds. Either way you look at it, the Canadians and Americans are truly the gold medal's front-runners.