The Saskatoon Blades saw their season come to an end on Tuesday, in one of the best Western Hockey League playoff series in recent memory. Saskatoon was the WHL's top team during the regular season, but had their season ended in the Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the Moose Jaw Warriors.

What made the series so good was the fact that six of seven games went into overtime, the only regulation result coming in a narrow Game 3 win for Moose Jaw. The Warriors had a 2-1 lead with less than five minutes left in Game 7, before Rosetown's Vaughn Watterodt scored the game-tying goal with less than five minutes remaining in the game, sending the series to a fitting finish.

The late-game hero Watterodt was on the ice for the start of overtime, and it only took 36 seconds for the Warriors to score the winning goal and quiet home fans at the SaskTel Centre.

"It was pretty heartbreaking in the end, losing those last two in overtime," reflected Watterodt during a phone call on Thursday. "It's disappointing to be out, but we can still be proud of how great of a season we had, all the memories we made. We filled up the SaskTel all year long, and gave something back to our community I think which has been nice."

It's tough, but Watterodt is finding solace in the loss.

"Obviously it didn't end with the result we were striving for and wanting, but we were part of one of the greatest series in WHL history I think, and that's pretty cool."

The Blades could look a lot different next year with players like Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten moving to pro. Watterodt shared the feel from the team during locker-room cleanup on Wednesday. 

"Emotional. Just seeing the coaches. We had lots of older players this year, so it's going to be tough, whatever happens with all of us," said Watterodt. "This was kind of our chance this year, and it's upsetting we didn't make it happen, right?"

Headed back home to Rosetown after saying goodbye to his Blades teammates for the year, Watterodt doesn't quite know what his offseason has in store. Like any player coming off a grueling season, rest and repair is top of mind for the skater entering his fourth full WHL season.

"Just getting rest is my most important thing right now. Kind of resetting my body, making it feel good again, that's the most important thing for me right now," he said, still feeling Tuesday's result. "I think that's my main goal right now, haven't thought about it too much. We were expecting to be in the finals, wanting to be in the finals, so I can't say I have really thought about (the offseason) yet."

With a few weeks of rest and repair on the schedule for Watterodt, don't be surprised to see Rosetown's own in the Country 104 and Classic Hits studio as a special guest.