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The United States has won their third straight women's world hockey championship!

The championship was a hard fought and very entertaining 3-2 battle against Canada, with the USA scoring in overtime to bring home the championship. Hilary Knight scored the OT winner.

With the win, the USA has now won four of the past five world championships.

In the 13 world women's championships that have been played thus far, Canada and the U.S. have met in the final every time. However, the International Ice Hockey Federation's four-year, $2.1-million plan called "Women's Hockey to Sochi 2014 and Beyond" just kicked in this year, in the face of growing pressure of the IOC to improve the women's game.

The NHL and the Toronto Maple Leafs hav also announced plans to help grow and promote women's hockey.

Despite the continued dominance of the US and Canada, there are several signs that women's hockey is gaining strength in other countries as well.

Although the top three teams in the Winter Games also finished in the top three at the world championships, with Finland beating Russia 3-2 in overtime for bronze, the championship round games were generally close contests.

Russia, although eventually losing to Finland, played for a medal for the first time in ten years. The host Swiss team, was also within an overtime goal of reaching the semifinals.

Congratulations to team USA and all of the women that competed in the 2011 IIHF World Championships. This years tournament was among the most entertaining yet and has showed tremendous signs for the women's game in years to come.

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