Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme has been suspended by the PWHL for one game and fined $250 for two separate plays in Minnesota鈥檚 playoff semifinal series opener against Montreal, the league announced on Monday.
Curl-Salemme鈥檚 suspension stems from a game misconduct she received for an illegal check to the head on Kaitlin Willoughby in the final minute of the second period of . The league鈥檚 Player Safety Committee determined Curl-Salemme made no attempt to play the puck and raised her forearm to complete the check in deeming the hit to Willoughby鈥檚 head being avoidable.
The fine was the result of Curl-Salemme鈥檚 altercation with Montreal鈥檚 Abby Roque, in which both were penalized for roughing earlier in the second period. The committee determined supplemental discipline was warranted in noting the Frost forward grabbed and pulled Roque鈥檚 facial protector in sending the player 鈥渢o the ice with a degree of violence.鈥�
The Frost are two-time defending Walter Cup champions, and Curl-Salemme will miss Game 2 of the best-of-five series to be played at Montreal on Tuesday. The second-year player finished the regular season third in the league with 29 points, including a PWHL-leading 18 assists.
This is Curl-Salemme’s first suspension of the season, though she was fined $250 for a cross-checking penalty in March. Last season, she was issued three separate one-game suspensions, twice for illegal checks to the head, and the other time for high-sticking.
___
AP women鈥檚 hockey:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
