PWHL Toronto’s Brittany Howard suspended one game for cross-checking Montreal’s Catherine Daoust

The PWHL announced Thursday that Toronto forward Brittany Howard has been suspended one game for an illegal cross-check to the head on Montreal defender Catherine Daoust on March 8.

The incident occurred in the second period of the game. After Daoust made a pass to a teammate and Howard delivered a cross-check to the head in front of the Montreal net. There was no penalty on the play.

She recorded an assist in the March 8 match against Montreal. Toronto won the game 3-0.

Through 16 games this season, the 28-year-old Howard has two goals and three assists for five points and eight penalty minutes.

In addition to the suspension, Howard and Toronto forward Rebecca Leslie have been fined $250 each for an altercation at 8:06 of the second period against Montréal, where Howard and Leslie each grabbed the facemask of an opposing player.

The two teams face each other again on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena, home of the Pittsburgh Penguins, as part of the “PWHL Takeover Weekend.” On Saturday, Boston and Ottawa will play at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings.

On Tuesday, the league announced that Montreal would host Toronto on April 20 in the “Duel at the Top,” in the Bell Centre, home of the Montreal Canadiens.