The Minnesota Frost will be without a key forward as they look to battle back against the Toronto Sceptres in the first round of the PWHL playoffs.
Britta Curl-Salemme was suspended one game for an illegal check to the head, the league announced on Friday.
Curl-Salemme received a game misconduct during Wednesday's Game 1 for hitting Toronto’s star defender Renata Fast in the head. Fast, who was also on the wrong end of a boarding call in the opening frame, did not exit the game and got up under her own power.
In a statement, the PWHL said it determined that Curl-Salemme "delivered a high and forceful check. .. making the head the main point of contact on a play where such contact to the head was avoidable."
The 25-year-old American recorded 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in 28 games for Minnesota this season.
Curl-Salemme has now been suspended three times this season following earlier high-sticking and illegal-check incidents.
The Frost placed third in the league during the regular season, setting up a rematch of last year's first round against the Sceptres which they won in five games en route to claiming the inaugural Walter Cup.
Toronto won Game 1 of the rematch 3-2 on the strength of a pair of Julia Gosling goals.
Game 2 is set for Friday night at Toronto's Coca-Cola Coliseum.
