There is virtually no parity in women's hockey right now, but other countries are starting to close the gap, specifically with goaltending.
Even so, to demonstrate how uneven the playing field (ice) is, behold:
2010 Olympics:
- USA 12, China 1
- USA 13, Russia 0
- USA 6, Finland 0
- USA 9, Sweden 1
USA Goals Against: 2
- Canada 18, Slovakia 0
- Canada 10, Switzerland 1
- Canada 13, Sweden 1
- Canada 5, Finland 0
- Canada 2, USA 0
Canada Goals Against: 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey_at_the_2010_Winter_Olympics_–_Women's_tournament
2006 Olympics:
- USA 6, Switzerland 0
- USA 5, Germany 0
- USA 7, Finland 3
- USA 2, Sweden 3
- USA 4, Finland 0
USA Goals Against: 6
- Canada 16, Italy 0
- Canada 12, Russia 0
- Canada 8, Sweden 1
- Canada 6, Finland 0
- Canada 4, Sweden 1
Canada Goals Against: 2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey_at_the_2006_Winter_Olympics#Women.27s_competition
Gold and Silver medalists for every Women's World Championship to date:
- 1990:Canada, USA
- 1992: Canada, USA
- 1994: Canada, USA
- 1997: Canada, USA
- 1999: Canada, USA
- 2000: Canada, USA
- 2001: Canada, USA
- 2004: Canada, USA
- 2005: USA, Canada
- 2007: Canada, USA
- 2008: USA, Canada
- 2009: USA, Canada
- 2011: USA, Canada
- 2012: Canada, USA
- 2013: USA, Canada
As for why the no hitting, partially that is because women's hockey has not had professional success, and a female player who is injured is simply not going to receive the medical care, insurance, or post-hockey career options a male player has, EVEN IN the USA and Canada, where women's hockey has at least some real traction. In other countries, forget about it.
Hell, the Finnish women's goalie is retiring, at 24, despite having excellent stats, because she knows if she keeps playing she is financially ruined for the rest of her life, and there is nowhere more advanced for her to go as a female player.
Here is an article from TSN on bodychecking in Women's hockey:
http://www.tsn.ca/cis/story/?id=290264
What's more, if they allowed hitting, the USA and Canada would likely dominate even more. Many countries just can't ice women big enough to keep up with that physicality.
Here are the largest palyers from USA, Canada, and Japan (The loveable underdog this Olympics), to illustrate:
