THE CANADIAN PRESS

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. -- The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has suspended Moncton Wildcats winger Scott Trask indefinitely for a hit to the head in Sunday's game against the Saint John Sea Dogs.

"After seeing the hit, I believe it is the right course of action during the disciplinary process," said QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a release Monday. "Our position remains clear: The safety of our players is our number one priority."

Trask, a native of Bonavista, N.L., was assessed a major penalty for elbowing Sea Dogs forward Aidan Kelly and a game misconduct with just under five minutes to go in Moncton's 5-2 win.

The league will collect testimonies of the on-ice officials, players and of members of both organizations before making a final decision on the incident.

It's not the first time the QMJHL has suspended players for hits to the head this season.

Canadian world junior captain Patrice Cormier, a centre for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, was suspended for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs on Jan. 25 for an elbow to the jaw that sent Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts into convulsions on the ice.

Marco Scandella, another member of the Canadian junior team and a defenceman for the Val d'Or Foreurs, was suspended 15 games for a hit to the head of Rimouski Oceanic forward Alexandre Durette on Feb. 3.

Moncton kicks off a first-round playoff series with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Friday.