We at Pucked in the Head have long flicked nose candy at lamestream media pundits and “personalities” who seem to think they should be above reporting anything less than the very highest level of sport. These are the Vancouver hockey writers who huff and puff when asked to cover hockey that doesn’t involve teams named ‘Canucks’. These are the radio pundits who whinge and rant when (rightly) informed that their job is, in fact, to report on all sporting events that happen in the area, not just the ones with the most impressive pre-game meals.

What these small-minded folk don’t realize is that the biggest and best in the country, like Bob McKenzie, Ron MacLean and Jeff Marek, for instance, still follow the ranks of minor pro, college, junior, and — gasp — even women’s hockey. The Esso Cup features the best young female hockey players in Canada, and the 2013 tourney is being held in Burnaby, BC this week. Look for pics and a feature or two over the next few days, and let’s hope certain local sports talk blowhards get over themselves long enough to give the tournament some love as well. These young ladies are the next Wickenheisers, the next Pounders, the next Spooners. They’re the next generation of Olympic Gold Medallists and World Champions. They work hard out there on the ice, and gosh darn it they deserve the attention.

And hey, while we’re spotlighting pictures of women in sport — Ms Anderson above, and yesterday’s post about tennis phenom Eugenie Bouchard — let’s give a gander at Abbotsford Heat ice crew member Chyna, who let loose with a wicked slap shot during a post-game shootaround at the Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre last month. I swear to Gaustad, she put this one-timer top cheese, off the far post and in. Badass.