Assat had the chance to draw level with the top two on 15 points, but had to settle to closing the margin to just one as SaiPa took them the distance. The 2-1 win is Assat's fifth in a row since beginning their season with a loss, while SaiPa were beaten for the first time this season at the fifth attempt.
Casimir Jurgens put the visitors from Pori ahead midway through the first period, and after Cameron Hillis' goal was disallowed, SaiPa drew level with just over 10 minutes to play through Miro Tauslahti. No further goals, including in overtime, meant for a shootout, and this time Hillis would not be denied - he was the only player to find the net, securing two points for Assat.
KooKoo remain on one point, three adrift of their nearest rivals after their sixth straight loss of the season, going down 5-4 at home to KalPa, who climb to sixth having won three and lost three so far, all in 60 minutes.
Ville Meskanen levelled in minute 10 after Teemu Hartikainen put KalPa ahead, but that only heralded three goals for the visitors in two minutes, as Aleksi Klemetti, Joona Saarelainen and Juuso Kononen all got on the scoresheet. Roope Tossavainen's two goals either side of a Lasse Lappalainen strike in period two cut the deficit, which Santeri Sulku cut to one goal with seven minutes left, but KooKoo were unable to produce an equaliser.
Not a single goal was scored in 60 minutes between Vaasan Sport and Kiekko-Espoo, before the visitors snatched it 1-0 thanks to Jere Vaisanen's goal in the third minute of overtime - a deserved winner, given KE's 28 shots on goal compared to just 15 from Sport, all of which Petteri Rimpinen saved.
That first win in three takes Kiekko to 10th place and knocks the Vaasa side down to 11th, having lost back-to-back matches. The two sides have nine points each, but Sport have played eight games compared to their opponents' six.
IFK Helsinki ended their four-match losing run and climbed out of the bottom three with a 3-1 win over Karpat, who lose for a second time in as many evenings having been shutout by Tappara, leaving both sides on seven points.
Daniel Makiaho's opener for HIFK was cancelled out by Roni Hirvonen on the powerplay in the second period, before Vincent Marleau took centre stage, scoring on a powerplay for the hosts before the second period was up, and rounding off the win with an empty-net goal late on.