The Saskatoon Blades advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in dramatic fashion in their series against the Red Deer Rebels.

Thanks to a 5-2 win against the Rebels on Tuesday night, the Blades overcame a 3-0 series deficit after Red Deer opened the series with three straight victories.

Overcoming the 3-0 gap has only happened on two other occasions in WHL Playoff history, in 1996 Spokane defeated Portland and in 2013 with Kelowna making a comeback against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Blades defenceman Spencer Shugrue and forward Conner Roulette scored goals 40 seconds apart to break a 2-2 tie early in the third period to give Saskatoon the series-clinching victory against Red Deer.

Next up for the Blades will be the top team in the Eastern Conference when they meet the Winnipeg ICE. The ICE are coming off a six-game series victory against the Moose Jaw Warriors, highlighted by a 8-2 win on Monday night in Moose Jaw.

The Eastern Conference Finals between the Blades and ICE begins on Friday night in Winnipeg, Game 2 goes Saturday night.

Saskatoon will host Game 3 and Game 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

If necessary Game 5 is back in Winnipeg next Friday.

The Blades would host Game 6 if required on Sunday, May 7.

A deciding Game 7 would take place on Tuesday May 9 back in Winnipeg.

In the Western Conference Finals, the Seattle Thunderbirds will meet the Memorial Cup hosts, the Kamloops Blazers.