Back-to-back defeats for Assat, plus an upturn in form for Tappara had knocked the Aces off top spot, which clearly had rankled with the Pori side, as they took their frustrations out on KalPa, with a 5-1 win.
In truth, the match was over as a contest after a little more than 17 minutes, as that's all the home side needed to put four past their visitors, with two from Johan Olofsson, while Nestor Noiva and Rami Maatta also found the net to blow KalPa away.
Cade Borchardt pulled one back early in the second period for the reigning champions, but a comeback never looked likely. With five minutes to play, Jan Mikael Jarvinen took advantage of a powerplay to add a fifth for Assat, who get their first win inside 60 minutes for five matches.
A first loss in three keeps KalPa in eighth, while the three points for Assat briefly took them back to the top, until Tappara reclaimed first place with a 3-0 win over Ilves in the Tampere derby.
Despite sitting in 12th position, Ilves had recorded six wins in their last seven in all competitions. That, plus the added rivalry was enough of an incentive for the Lynx to make life difficult for Tappara early on, as the first period ended scoreless.
But an Eetu Tuulola goal in the eighth minute of the second period finall broke the Ilves resistance, before Jesper Mattila and Jonathan Andersson put the result beyond doubt in the third. Christian Heljanko made 18 saves for Tappara, who still lead the league only on goal difference.
JYP remain in third place having had a taste of Assat's medicine - losing a second match in a row - as they were on the wrong end of a 7-3 scoreline at home to SaiPa.
The hosts scored the opening goal in each period, but then proceeded to be far too leaky in defence, as Maxime Fortier scored a hattrick for the visitors, who are one of three teams three points shy of the top four.
That three-point gap emerged from KooKoo losing in a shootout at home to Karpat. The home side came from 4-0 down early in the third period to tie the game and send it to overtime.
But not only did they fail to score in the extra period, they could not find the net in the shootout, and two successful penalties for Karpat saw them take the win, 5-4, and move to within a point of the top 12.
Joining SaiPa in brathing down KooKoo necks are Lukko, for whom Henri Ikonen scored the only goal and Antti Raanta made 13 saves as they won 1-0 against Jukurit, who have now lost six in a row.
In the battle for survival, IFK Helsinki lifted themselves off the bottom with a 3-2 win over TPS Turku, who have suffered three losses in succession, while Vaasan Sport have replaced HIFK at the foot of the standings.
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