League leaders Lukko returned to action in fine style, picking up their eighth victory in a row with a 4-1 success over KalPa, who remain in the 12th and final play-off place after three successive defeats, including on 9th November against TPS Turku.
Alex Beaucage's penalty miss did not cost Lukko as Jakob Stenqvist struck a minute later to break the deadlock, then Antti Saarela doubled the lead in the second period. Jonne Tammela pulled one back for KalPa in the final seconds of period two, but they were unable to complete the comeback as Mikael Ruohomaa and Henri Ikonen struck late on to seal the win.
Ilves remain three points behind Lukko thanks to a 4-1 win of their own, a third straight victory for the Tampere side, who got the better of Pelicans. The visitors have now gone three games without a win and missed the chance to take the final play-off spot from KalPa.
The Lahti side were ahead after one period through Markus Nutivaara, but Ilves came roaring back in the second with goals from Otto Latvala, Luke Henman and Dominik Lakatos, before goalkeeper Mantas Armalis struck the puck the length of the ice into the empty net in the final minutes to add the finishing touches.
Jukurit are one point further back in third place as they held off the challenge of fifth-placed Assat, winning 3-1 at home to record back-to-back wins, while the Pori side saw a two-game winning run come to an end.
The hosts were in control after 10 minutes thanks to strikes from Alex Lintuniemi and Aaro Chrons, but Assat were back in it after two periods as Arttu Alasiurua halved the deficit. However, the Mikkeli side made sure of the points after Elias Ruusu found the net in the final seven minutes.
JYP ensured all the top four sides picked up a win and conceded just once, yet they displayed the most potent attack, winning 7-1 at home to Karpat to stay five points off the leaders and put four points between themselves and Assat. It's three defeats in four for eighth-placed Karpat.
Harri Pesonen's goal for the hosts was the only one of the opening period, before JYP ran riot in the second - Julius Korjus and Reece Newkirk got their names on the scoresheet before Leevi Tukiainen grabbed a five-minute hattrick to put the home side 6-0 ahead. Jere Lassila added a seventh in period three, before Eemil Erholtz grabbed the smallest of consolations to avoid a shutout.
Jokerit have won five of their 19 games this season, but two of them have come in Helsinki derbies - they beat IFK Helsinki 5-2 away from home to move six points from safety, while two defeats in three keep HIFK in 11th place.
Following a goalless first period, the home side looked set for revenge when Ilari Melart and Niko Huuhtanen had them 2-0 up six minutes into the second. But in the final five minutes, Jokerit made the most of their powerplays to drawl level through Patrik Virta and Patrick Curry. And the Jokers again used the man advantage to full effect in the third, as Maxime Fortier completed the turnaround, then empty-net goals in the final minute from Oskari Manninen and Eetu Tuulola gave Jokerit the bragging rights.
Kiekko-Espoo came from 3-0 down at home to Vaasan Sport only to fall away again late on to lose 5-3, a result which ends a run of five consecutive defeats for the away side and takes them to within two points of safety, while KE sit ninth after a first loss in four.
Benjamin Pietila, Johan Sundstrom and Theodor Johnsson had Sport clear after seven minutes, but just past the midpoint of the match it was all-square again after Jere Vaisanen, Mathias From and Carter King found the net for Kiekko. But parity lasted just over five minutes, as Miika Koivisto made it 4-3 to the Vaasa side, then Philip Granath slotted into the empty net with just a new seconds to play.