For nearly ten years, Jill Saulnier played as an energy line forward for the Canadian women’s national team, earning two Olympic medals and a world championship.
Adding to her list of accomplishments, she initiated the first real physical altercation in the history of the Professional Women’s Hockey League during a fight with Ottawa forward Tereza Vanišová.
Speaking to The Athletic, Saulnier explained, “We were battling it out there. She grabbed my stick and dropped it, which was my cue to engage. I said, ‘Let’s go.’”
The first legitimate fight in the #PWHL.
@PWHL_Boston‘s Jill Saulnier & @PWHL_Ottawa‘s Tereza Vanišová square off. #PWHL@jill_saulnier @VanisovaTereza pic.twitter.com/L6fr5biVmv
— Melissa Burgess (@_MelissaBurgess) February 21, 2025
The exchange on Feb. 20 between Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge marked the inaugural fight in the PWHL and quickly became one of the league’s standout moments.
In the women’s hockey arena, fights are a rarity with sporadic occurrences. However, Saulnier justified the altercation as a natural element of the competition due to the increased physicality permitted in the league.
GO DEEPER
The art of hitting in women’s hockey: How are PWHL players adapting to a more physical game?
“The game was intense and physical, with all players being highly competitive,” mentioned Saulnier, now part of Boston following a trade from New York Sirens in January. “The situation just escalated in the corner.”