Notebook: Francis ties franchise record

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

Ryan Francis made some Saint John Sea Dogs history on Tuesday night.

Francis recorded three goals and three assists for a six-point night, tying the franchise record for most points in a single game. Only two other Sea Dogs have had six-point nights: Alexandre Picard-Hooper and Steven Anthony.

Oddly, just like Francis on Tuesday, Picard-Hooper's six-point night also came in a 9-2 road win in Bathurst - this one on Dec. 27, 2007. Picard-Hooper's goal and five assists weren't enough for him to be named one of the game's three stars, proving some things never change at the KC Irving Regional Centre.

Anthony's big night came on Jan. 11, 2009 in an 8-1 home win over the Gatineau Olympiques. Anthony registered two goals and four assists in the game.

Francis' six points were a career high. It was his second hat trick of the season after recording four goals in his Sea Dogs debut on March 9 - which also tied a single game franchise record.

RAINING HAT TRICKS

Ryan Francis and Peter Reynolds each recorded hat tricks on Tuesday. This was only the third time in team history that two Sea Dogs recorded three goals in a single game.

Saint John Sea Dogs games with multiple hat tricks:

January 18, 2008 vs. PEI - Payton Liske & Michael Kirkpatrick

November 12, 2016 vs. SHE - Bokondi Imama & Mathieu Joseph

April 13, 2021 vs. BAT - Peter Reynolds & Ryan Francis https://t.co/IQTu7CcvaE

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) April 14, 2021

SCHEDULE AHEAD

We don't know what the schedule will look like for the Sea Dogs beyond this weekend's games. Here's a quick look at what we do know (at the time of this writing) around the junior hockey world.

Friday, April 16: Titan vs Sea Dogs

Saturday, April 17: Wildcats vs Sea Dogs

Friday, April 23: President Cup playoffs begin for Quebec teams

Monday, April 26: IIHF U-18 World Championship begins

Saturday, May 1: Final day of reg. season for QMJHL Maritime teams

Tuesday, May 4: Maritimes Division knockout game one

Wednesday, May 5: Maritimes Division knockout game two

Saturday, May 8: President Cup playoffs begin for Maritime teams

Wednesday, May 12: Last day of WHL reg. season

Sunday, June 20: Last possible day of QMJHL playoffs

Friday-Saturday, July 23-24: NHL Draft

Literally all of these dates could change, of course. 

The QMJHL has announced the schedule for four of its six first-round playoff series. The two other series schedules - Armada/Olympiques and Remparts/Voltigeurs - will be determined based on what happens with COVID. Chicoutimi, Drummondville, Shawinigan and Val-d'Or will host the games - even if the Phoenix are mad about it.

The OHL, meanwhile, has had its return delayed even further due to Ontario's COVID mess.

The #OHL has issued an update on its Return to Play status for the 2020-21 season. https://t.co/eGCHhzta6m pic.twitter.com/XKnUxZzALy

— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) April 15, 2021

On TSN's Insider Trading, Darren Dreger reported that the NHL and CHL are hoping to host a top prospects event in an Edmonton bubble in early July.

WALSH MAD

Outspoken player agent Allan Walsh - Jonathan Huberdeau's agent - criticized the QMJHL not once, but twice on Twitter over the past few days.

Client Alexis Gravel, goalie with the ⁦@HFXMooseheads⁩ is suspended 1 game for a slash to the player standing in front of him. The player gets up and viciously two hands Alexis in the face with his stick. He gets no games. The #QMJHL is a joke! pic.twitter.com/wDOQniJJFA

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) April 14, 2021

No Memorial Cup, likely no QMJHL playoffs but the QMJHL still refused to release 3 of their players to Team Canada to participate in the U18 World Championships at the end of April. Why? https://t.co/ph0TbwqTwa

— Allan Walsh (@walsha) April 13, 2021

GALIE'S SEASON OVER

This a beautiful pass.

ABSOLUTE FILTH FROM STANISLAV GALIEV
🚨 Kirill Petrov
1-0 Ak Bars
🎥 KHL pic.twitter.com/InD8PZjW0S

— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) April 13, 2021

Stanislav Galiev recorded 16 goals and 11 assists in 52 regular season games with the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan. He added another four goals and five assists in 15 playoff games before being eliminated in the league semifinals.

Galiev previously won the KHL's championship, the Gagarin Cup, in 2018. Along with the Gagarin Cup, the 29-year-old has won the USHL Clark Cup; QMJHL President Cup; CHL Memorial Cup; and ECHL Kelly Cup.