The Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) has handed down a one-game suspension and a $250 fine to Minnesota Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme following a heated playoff opener against Montreal. The league's Player Safety Committee reviewed two separate incidents from Saturday's game, which Minnesota won 5-4 in overtime.

The suspension comes from an illegal check to the head on Montreal's Kaitlin Willoughby, which occurred in the final minute of the second period. According to the committee, Curl-Salemme made no attempt to play the puck and raised her forearm to complete the hit, making contact with Willoughby's head entirely avoidable. This resulted in a game misconduct penalty at the time.

The fine stems from an earlier altercation with Montreal's Abby Roque. During the second period, both players were penalized for roughing, but the league determined that Curl-Salemme's actions warranted additional discipline. The committee noted that she grabbed and pulled Roque's facial protector, sending the player "to the ice with a degree of violence."

This disciplinary action comes at a critical moment for the Frost, the two-time defending Walter Cup champions. Curl-Salemme will miss Game 2 of the best-of-five semifinal series, scheduled for Tuesday in Montreal. The second-year forward has been a key contributor this season, finishing third in the league with 29 points and leading all players with 18 assists.

While this marks Curl-Salemme's first suspension of the 2026 season, she was fined $250 in March for a cross-checking incident. Her disciplinary history includes three separate one-game suspensions last season—two for illegal checks to the head and one for high-sticking. As the Frost look to extend their championship reign, they'll need to adjust their lineup without one of their top playmakers for this pivotal road game.