Taylor Girard received the PWHL's longest suspension in its three-year history, a four-game ban for leaving the bench to join a post-whistle fight. The New York Sirens forward crashed into Montreal defender Maggie Flaherty from behind at the end of Sunday's 2-1 win, sparking a brawl that led to eight misconduct penalties.

The league's Player Safety Committee upheld the automatic suspension for bench-leaving, which carries a minimum four-game penalty. Girard becomes the first player to receive this length of discipline, surpassing the previous two-game mark. She won't return until March 5 against Boston, missing key Sirens matchups after the Olympic break.

At 27, Girard is in her third PWHL season and second with New York after a trade from Boston. Her five goals rank second on the team, but her 30 penalty minutes lead the league. Sunday's game set a U.S. record for professional women's hockey attendance with 17,228 fans at Washington's arena.