Sirens’ Girard stretchered off the ice after suffering knee injury against Frost

A tough sight for one of the game’s top depth players.

During the PWHL Takeover Tour game on Sunday in Denver, New York Sirens forward Taylor Girard was stretchered off the ice after suffering a knee injury against the Minnesota Frost.

The play happened a little past the halfway mark of the second period at Ball Arena, home of the Colorado Avalanche. Girard went to throw a hit along the boards at Frost forward Britta Curl-Salemme. Girard lost her balance, awkwardly twisting her right knee as she fell to the ice.

The Macomb, Mich. native knew something was wrong immediately, waving over to the bench to come assist her. The stretcher was brought onto the ice, as the training staff was taking extra precaution with the veteran forward. Girard’s final stat featured 9:49 of ice time, and was a -1 as the Frost had built up a 4-0 lead by the middle stanza.

This isn’t the first time Girard has suffered a debilitating lower-body injury. In the league’s inaugural season, while with Boston, she twisted her leg, coincidentally against Minnesota. The resulting injury ended her season.

This year, the 27-year-old has appeared in 17 games, scoring seven goals and eight points, sitting second on the Sirens in goals behind rookie Kristyna Kaltounkova, and fifth in overall scoring. Girard has scored twice in New York’s 6-2 win over the Ottawa Charge last Sunday.

With Girard out, it’s an important secondary scorer that New York could be missing as they continue to battle for a playoff spot. As of Sunday, only three Sirens have double digits in points, with Kaltounkova, Sarah Fillier and Casey O’Brien having reached at least 12 points. The Sirens sit fifth in the PWHL with 44 goals as a team.

New York (8-0-3-8) is currently sixth in the league, one point back of the fourth and final playoff spot.