Minnesota Frost’s Britta Curl-Salemme suspended one game for illegal check to head
Another bit of supplementary discipline has been handed to one of the league’s more explosive rookies.
On Tuesday, the PWHL Player Safety Committee announced that Minnesota Frost forward Britta-Curl Salemme has been suspended one game for an illegal check to the head on Toronto Sceptres defender Megan Carter.
The incident occurred a little past the halfway mark of the second period of Sunday’s game between the Frost and Sceptres. The puck was bouncing around the slot in front of the Toronto net. Curl-Salemme pursued the puck, but as it was played away, she elected to use her elbow to hit Carter, catching the fellow rookie in the head.
In a video explanation released by the league, it was clear that Carter’s head was the main point of contact.
Curl-Salemme was handed a minor penalty for elbowing on the play. Toronto failed to cash in on the power play, and ended up losing to the Frost in overtime, 2-1.
As a result of the discipline, the 24-year-old will be out of the lineup for when Minnesota takes on the Ottawa Charge on Wednesday night.
This is already the second time in her PWHL career that she has been suspended. In early January, Curl-Salemme was given a one-game suspension for high-sticking Theresa Schafzahl of the Boston Fleet. It is strange that, while the incidents featured different actions, there wasn’t a heavier penalty handed down to the former Wisconsin Badger, as she has an established and recent history.
The actions have clouded what has been a solid season for Curl-Salemme, who is tied for eighth in the league in penalty minutes (18). In 22 games, she has scored 12 points, placing her third among PWHL rookies. Her six goals are second among first-years behind New York Sirens star Sarah Fillier.
The Frost (7-5-4-7) are fourth in the PWHL, holding the last playoff spot. They sit eight points above the fifth-place Charge and eight behind the Montreal Victoire for first.