In a stunning turn of events, Ässät faced a crushing defeat against SaiPa, allowing a three-goal lead to slip away and ultimately losing 4-3 in overtime. The match, held in front of their home crowd, had seemed to be going well for Ässät, as they led 3-0 at the end of the second period due to Kasper Puutio's efforts. However, a late first-period goal by Brian Kramer marked the beginning of a comeback for SaiPa, shifting the momentum of the game.

The game took a critical turn in the third period when Maxime Fortier scored immediately after the period started, narrowing the gap to one goal. With the clock winding down, Emil Kuusla leveled the score at 3-3, finding the net just 11 seconds before the end of regulation time. This last-minute goal forced the match into overtime, where Kramer sealed SaiPa's victory with a decisive winning goal. The loss marked the fourth consecutive defeat for Ässät, who now sits eighth in the league standings, in contrast to SaiPa's five-game winning streak, moving them to a strong second place.

With nine regular-season games remaining, both teams still have plenty of opportunities to improve their standings. The upcoming SM-liiga matches will be critical, with the next round of games on Tuesday featuring Ilves vs. Lukko, Pelicans vs. Kärpät, and Sport vs. HPK. The pressure continues to mount for Ässät, who will need to regroup quickly to salvage their season and prevent further losses that could affect their playoff aspirations.