Tappara came into this one five points ahead following consecutive 5-0 wins, but the high-fives came to an end - appropriately - in the fifth minute tonight when Santeri Sulku put KooKoo ahead.
Then an end-to-end second period saw the hosts open a two-goal lead three times through Manu Makela, Ossi-Petteri Jaakola and Ari Grondahl, but each time Tappara cut the gap back to one within just over three minutes, as Aapeli Rasanen scored twice, either side of a Henrik Haapala strike.
Six minutes into the third period Jaakola scored his second of the game, but this time the Tampere side could not respond, and in the final minute, an empty net gave Jaakola the perfect opportunity to complete his hattrick and round off the 6-3 win.
It was a first match in a week for KooKoo, while Tappara were in action 24 hours earlier, but nothing should be taken away from an impressive third victory in a row for the Kouvola side, while it's now two losses in four for Tappara.
JYP are now within touching distance of Tappara, after they registered a second win in two days over Karpat, this time 4-2 away to move within two points of first place. A point further back are Lukko, who cruised to a 5-1 win over Pelicans for a third win in a row, while the Lahti side sit 11th.
SaiPa's long winning run was not only ended by KalPa yesterday, but the 2025 Playoff runners-up were beaten yet again by the reigning champions today, as the Kuopio side scored three unanswered goals in the third period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 victory, as they stay in eighth place.
Two late Cameron Wright goals saw Hameenlinna come from 3-1 down to level with Assat away from home, only to fall to a Valtteri Lipiainen strike in overtime. The 4-3 success ends the Pori side's four-match losing run, while it's now six matches without a victory for hapless Hameenlinna.
Those two results, plus KooKoo's win, have seen SaiPa drop two places to sixth, while Assat climb to fifth, two points shy of KooKoo who are now back among the top four, two points behind Lukko and therefore just five points off the top.
The match in Vaasa went with the form guide, as Ilves recorded an eighth win in a row with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Vaasan Sport, who remain rooted to the foot of the table, eight points adrift of Hameenlinna following three straight losses.
There was only one goal between Kiekko-Espoo and TPS Turku on Friday night, yet there were nine when they faced off again this evening, yet not only was the result - a Kiekko win - the same, but eight of those nine went to the victors.
Jere Vaisanen scored a hattrick, completing it late on with a short-handed goal. Kiekko-Espoo climbed above TPS into ninth with the 8-1 win. Remarkably, it was still goalless after the opening period.