On a day when Canada's streak of consecutive victories ended at 20, the USA made a huge step towards a second U-20 World Junior Hockey Championship title with a 3-2 victory over Russia in the Czech Republic on Saturday.

The WJC lacks sufficient coverage here in the United States, while our Cousins in Canada can watch all the Maple Leaf games on live TV.  It was no surprise the NHL Network had highlights of Canada's momentus loss but none of the US's victory.

And that is a shame.  Just last year, Patrick Kane was lighting the lamp for the USA, not the Chicago Blackhawks.  Two more future NHLers, James vanRiemsdyk (drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers) and Kyle Okposo (New York Islanders) were on that team last year, and are doing quite well this time around.  Okposo also just signed with the Islanders, and will join them after the WJC is over.

USA Hockey is doing its part by having all of the American games via audiocast on the organization's web site, but that is cold comfort for holiday hockey fans like myself who have ached to see American WJC games on TV for twenty years.  

Lost in the shuffle is Nashville Predators prospect goalie Jeremy Smith, who has allowed just 5 goals in the first three games.  When the US gets good goaltending, anything can happen.

TV viewers in the US should demand that some regional network accessible to a majority of cable and satellite subscribers purchase access to these games.  If I had a choice between endless (and largely meaningless) college bowl games and international hockey, I'll take the latter every time.

There are enough of these players who will play in the NHL (in big media markets) next year to make it work.  There are enough players on College and Junior programs --like the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers--right now to give more viewers a reason to watch, too.

Read more here: http://www.usahockey.com/world_junior_championships_2008/default.aspx?id=213536&DetailedNews=yes

A response to Sweden ends Canada