Curl-Salemme avoids discipline, for now

PWHL PLAYOFFS, FROST AT TORONTO (SCEPTRES LEAD 1-0) >> GAME 2: 6 P.M. TONIGHT, FDSN

Frost winger received 5-minute major, game misconduct for hit on Fast in Game 1 loss

Toronto Sceptres defender Renata Fast reacts after a hit from Minnesota Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme during the second period of Wednesday’s playoff game in Toronto. CHRIS YOUNG — THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

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By John Shipley

jshipley@pioneerpress.com

By late Thursday, the PWHL had not announced any supplemental discipline on Britta Curl-Salemme for her hit on Renata Fast in Wednesday’s playoff-opening loss at Toronto.

That doesn’t mean it won’t happen before Friday’s 6 p.m. puck drop for Game 2.

Down a game in their best-of-five semifinal against the Toronto Sceptres, the Frost can ill afford to lose Curl-Salemme for any amount of time. The rookie winger is tied with Sophie Jaques for second on the team with nine goals in 28 games behind Kendall Coyne-Schofield’s 12.

Curl-Salemme, in fact, scored the Frost’s first goal in a 3-2 loss to the Sceptres on Wednesday, cutting the Sceptres’ lead to 3-1 in the second period. Moments later, she was skating the puck out of her own zone when she raised an elbow and appeared to catch Fast in the jaw.

Fast went down in a heap and, after a video review, Curl-Salemme was assessed a 5-minute major and game misconduct, ending her night.

In a video conference call on Thursday, Toronto coach Troy Ryan said two medical reports cleared Fast to play in Game 2. As for whether he believed potential additional discipline was required, Ryan said, “I think it’s best to probably leave it in the hands of the people that make those decisions.”

“I just know we’re trying to get those high hits, or any contact to the head, out of the game,” Ryan added.

In her first season out of Wisconsin — where she scored 86 goals in four seasons — Curl-Salemme has been fined and suspended twice for rough play, once in January and again in March. As a repeat offender, her chances of being suspended are heightened.

Teammate Kelly Pannek said it has been difficult for players in the second-year PWHL to get accustomed to what is allowed in a league that promised to allow more physical play than has been usual in women’s hockey.

“I think everyone’s trying to learn and adjust to the rule book,” she said. “Players, officials, staff, whatever it is.”

The Frost raced into the playoffs on the strength of road victories in their last two regular-season games. They won the PWHL’s inaugural Walter Cup last year after a similar trajectory, earning the last postseason spot, then rallying from a pair of two-game deficits to beat Toronto and Boston in five-game series to win the championship.

Second-year coach Ken Klee defended Curl-Salemme.

“She’s not a malicious person,” Klee said. “It was a quick play, and it’s just one of those things that’s going to happen.”