The Professional Women’s Hockey League has handed down its most severe suspension to date, sidelining New York Sirens forward Taylor Girard for four games. Girard was penalized for leaving the bench to engage in an on-ice altercation that occurred after the buzzer sounded in New York’s recent 2-1 victory over Montreal.
The incident saw Girard collide with Montreal defender Maggie Flaherty, resulting in Flaherty being knocked to the ice. Following the scuffle, Girard was given a 20-minute penalty for leaving the bench, while four players from each team received 10-minute misconducts.
According to league regulations, the first player to leave the bench unlawfully is subject to an automatic four-game suspension. This penalty was upheld by the PWHL Player Safety Committee upon review.
This suspension exceeds the previous record set by Seattle defender Aneta Tejralova, who received a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head in a previous match against the Sirens.
Girard will be ineligible to play until the Sirens face Boston on March 5, marking their second game post the league’s month-long Olympic hiatus. The 27-year-old Girard, currently in her third season with the PWHL and second with the Sirens, ranks second on the team with five goals. Despite being penalty-free earlier in the season, Girard now leads the league with 30 penalty minutes in 13 games.
The altercation occurred during a PWHL game held at the NHL Washington Capitals’ home arena, attracting a record-breaking crowd of 17,228 spectators, marking the largest attendance for a professional women’s hockey game in the United States.