QUEBEC CITY—Montreal police have confirmed they opened a criminal investigation into the devastating hit that placed Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty in the hospital with a cracked verterbra.

Police say they are acting on a complaint about the shot delivered by Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara earlier this week.

Meanwhile, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman refused to comment on the incident this morning on his way into a U.S. congressional briefing in Washington, D.C.

Bettman’s previously scheduled briefing focuses on the state of hockey in America and the relationship between hockey and education and physical rehabilitation.

Montreal police say they opened the investigation after a request by Quebec’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne.

A spokeswoman for Dionne said he initiated the process after seeing television footage of the incident.

He issued a recommendation to the provincial Public Security department that an investigation be opened; the department then forwarded the file to police.

“The police investigation will be held. Like all police investigations, evidence will be gathered and an investigation report will be submitted (to the DCPP),” said spokeswoman Martine Berube.

“(The DCPP) will then evaluate to see whether there’s grounds for prosecution.”

Asked what kind of punishment could be assessed in a case like Chara’s, she replied: “It’s too early to say. That would depend on what charges are laid. That’s a little difficult to predict at this point.”

The move came amid a burst of outrage after the National Hockey League declined to suspend Chara.

Earlier Wednesday, Dionne’s own office downplayed talk of a criminal investigation but hardened its tone hours later when the league announced no sanctions would be taken.

Later in the day, a major league sponsor and even the federal government were demanding action.

Air Canada waded into the debate on hockey headshots, sending a letter late Wednesday to the NHL.

In the letter, the airline threatened to withdraw its sponsorship unless the NHL moves to impose sanctions to reduce potential serious injuries.

The debate over headshots and concussions has been constant this season, with superstar Sidney Crosby topping the injury list.

Pacioretty, a left-winger from New Canaan, Conn., who had established himself this season as a regular top-line player, suffered a severe concussion and a non-displaced fracture to the fourth cervical vertebra in his neck.

With both racing for the puck near the player benches, the six-foot-nine Chara checked Pacioretty into the boards and the young Hab slammed into a stanchion supporting the glass.

The hit drew criticism from Gary Lunn, the minister of state for sports, and others outside the league. Lunn called it unacceptable.

But the league deemed it “a hockey play that resulted in an injury because of the player colliding with the stanchion and then the ice surface.”

Chara, who said he had no intent to hurt Pacioretty, was given a major penalty for interference and a game misconduct on the play.

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The big Bruin is not known to be a dirty player and has never been suspended in his 13-year career.

Pacioretty told TSN he was “upset and disgusted” that the league had not suspended Chara.

“I’m not mad for myself, I’m mad because if other players see a hit like that and think it’s OK, they won’t be suspended, then other players will get hurt like I got hurt.”