The Professional Women’s Hockey League handed down its most severe suspension to date by sidelining New York Sirens forward Taylor Girard for four games. Girard was penalized for leaving the bench to engage in an on-ice altercation during the team’s recent victory over Montreal.
The incident occurred as the final buzzer sounded, with Girard colliding with Montreal defender Maggie Flaherty, causing her to fall to the ice. Following the altercation, Girard was the only player to receive a 20-minute penalty for leaving the bench, in addition to the standard 10-minute misconduct issued to four players from each team.
According to league regulations, the first player found guilty of leaving the bench unlawfully faces an automatic four-game suspension. The PWHL Player Safety Committee reviewed the case and upheld the suspension.
This suspension surpasses the previous record set when Seattle defender Aneta Tejralova received a two-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head in a game against the Sirens.
Girard will not be eligible to play until New York’s game against Boston on March 5, marking the second game for the Sirens after the league’s month-long Olympic hiatus. Girard, 27, is currently in her third season in the PWHL and second with the Sirens. She was acquired from Boston a year ago and 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 neutral site game held at the NHL Washington Capitals’ home arena, attracting a record-breaking crowd of 17,228 fans. This attendance set a new benchmark for the largest turnout at a professional women’s hockey game in the United States.