Actually the opposite is true. When Canadians or Americans are playing a meaningful game, like a finals in the Olympics and lesser so, in the worlds, yes the viewing audiences can be very good. The rest of the time, look at the attendance of any other top level women's game and the seats are empty. 
When women's hockey can generate the income that say,  male junior hockey does throughout the season, then yes, they deserve to be paid. My daughter plays CIS hockey and most often its about 150 people in the stands. I know they papered the crowd at the nationals in Fredricton years ago and even then the rink held maybe 1,500 fans. 
Women's hockey revenue is nowhere close to women's soccer, golf or tennis . I begged my daughter take up tennis or golf when she was young. I knew that if she ever wanted to make any sort of career out of hockey it would be limited to coaching. Hockey just isn't that popular for women throughout the world. Soccer is hugely popular. Hockey still has far to go.