Brandon 5 Regina 3
If the Memorial Cup host Regina Pats (16-18-3-0) were hoping for a turnaround in their return to hockey after the holiday break, they would be sorely disappointed. With Sam Steel still away, the Pats could not keep up with the Brandon Wheat Kings (25-8-0-1) at Westman Place in Brandon. Ty Lewis, Stelio Mattheos and Evan Weinger each had a goal and an assist and goalie Logan Thompson stopped 27 of 30 as the Wheat Kings beat the Pats 5-3.
Mattheos extended his point streak to eight games when he opened the scoring on a short-handed marker with 7:23 left in the first period. It was his third short-handed marker this season.
Robbie Holmes put away his eighth goal of the year with 27 seconds left in the first to tie the game at one. The goal came in a strange form as Thompson appeared to fall and Homes scored from the blue line. 
On another strange play, the Pats took their first and only lead. Thompson misplayed the puck and gave it right to 16-tear-old rookie Logan Nijhoff. The Comox, B.C. native put away his first career WHL goal.
The Wheat Kings tied up the game again with just over five minutes left in the second period. Baron Thompson used his speed to get to a loose puck first in the right corner-boards and found Cole Reinhardt in front for the tap in.
In the third period Brandon went back on top as Weinger drove into the zone and found Lewis for a tip-in goal that Regina goalie Max Paddock could not respond to in time.
The Pats would not go away though as Holmes potted his second on the night, tying the game again under four minutes later. He took a cross-ice feed from Egor Zamula and buried a low shot by Thompson.
Just 30 seconds later, Weinger put the Wheaties back on top. This time by a 4-3 score. He finished off a two-on-zero break with Lewis for his 15th marker this season. Linden McCorrister added another to make the final 5-3, with 1:31 left in regulation.
Paddock turned away 30 of 35 in the loss.
Regina and Brandon play the second game of the home and home Thursday in Regina.
Prince George 5 @Victoria 3
The Victoria Royals (20-14-3-0) dropped their fourth straight and eighth of their last 10 on Wednesday night at home to the Prince George Cougars (13-17-3-2) 5-3. The Royals, like the Portland Winterhawks have seen what was a big lead in their division disappear over the past month. The low point was arguably Wednesday night as they lost to the last-place Western Conference team in the Cougars on home ice.
Defenseman Joel Laukusta had two goals and Kody McDonald had three assists and Tavin Grant stopped 36 of 39 as the Cougars came back from a 3-2 deficit in the first period, to score three straight and hold on for the win.
It was a high-scoring first period as the two teams traded six total goals. Lakusta started the barrage as a bouncing puck came to him and he spun around before hammering a low shot that Royals goalie Griffen Outhouse could not stop.
The newest Royals forward, Noah Gregor got on the board next as he backhanded home a rebound, while on his knees. The goal came on the power play.
Nic Holowko then added his first goal as a Cougar. He won a board battle in behind Outhouse and drove the net, tucking the puck past the goalie.
Tyler Soy again tied the game as he redirected a shot from Chaz Reddekopp by Grant for his 14th this year.
Victoria then took their first lead as Matthew Phillips jammed home an attempt off a feed from behind the net by Dante Hannoun on the power play.
The Cougars then tied the game at three as Jackson Leppard tapped home the rebound of a one-timer by McDonald on the power play. Despite Outhouse allowing three goals on 10 shots and Grant allowing the same amount on 17 shots, both teams stuck with their netminders between the pipes.
That would pay off as both goalies settled in and only one more goal would be allowed overall in the final 40 minutes.
Josh Maser would score the eventual game-winner as McDonald again one-timed a shot that Outhouse stopped and again the rebound was put by the goalie. This time it was Maser with his 14th this year.
Lakusta added an empty netter to help P.G. win the game 5-3.
The Cougars were 2/8 on the power play, while the Royals were 2/7.
Outhouse ended up stopped 22 of 26.
The Cougars and Royals get back at it Thursday again in Victoria.
Spokane 5 Seattle 4 OT
After the two teams traded blow out wins, this game was a lot more competitive. Zach Fischer topped off his three point night, with the OT winner as the Spokane Chiefs (19-13-1-2) beat the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds (15-14-4-1) 5-4. 
The Chiefs trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes and 4-3 with five minutes left, but came back each time.
Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Hudson Elynuik also chipped in two point nights for the Chiefs and Donovan Buskey stopped 25 of 29.
Seattle was led by two assists by Turner Ottenbreit. Matt Berlin turned away 37 of 42 in the Seattle net.
The two teams play again on Friday, this time in Kent.
