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“It just takes a little bit of heat off everyone,” head coach Scott Arniel said in the aftermath of a 4-1 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night at Canada Life Centre.
Published Dec 06, 2025 • 3 minute read
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Winnipeg Jets’ Brad Lambert (93), Cole Koepke (45) and Parker Ford (25) celebrate Lambert’s goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins during first period NHL action in Winnipeg, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. Koepke scored his first goal as a Jet in a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. Photo by . THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods /Winnipeg SunArticle content
For one game, another offensive deep freeze crisis was averted thanks to some crucial work in front of the goal by the Jets’ fourth line.
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“It just takes a little bit of heat off everyone,” head coach Scott Arniel said in the aftermath of a 4-1 triumph over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night at Canada Life Centre.
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The hard hat brigade, consisting of Cole Koepke, Morgan Barron, and Tanner Pearson paced the offence with two goals and two assists. Pearson’s fourth of the season stood up as the game-winner. Kyle Conner and Gabe Vilardi also scored.
Koepke and his linemates aren’t immune to the secondary scoring problems that have plagued the Jets, as they head into Edmonton for a Saturday night matchup with the Oilers.
But as individuals, they have exacerbated the problem with a lack of production.
Koepke’s goal was his first as a Jet, the second-period insurance marker coming in his 18th game of the campaign. Barron’s assist was his first point in 10 games. Pearson’s winner was his fourth goal of the season. Pearson began the year with two goals in his first four games. Since then, the Kitchener, Ont., native has fallen on hard times with two goals in 21 games.
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“I’m sure that everyone is feeling the pressure,” Koepke said. “We’re not necessarily trying to think about it. (As a line) we’re just trying to go out there, play as a group of three, wear the other team down, make sure we’re sound in our own end and create offence that way. Just doing that worked really well. Both of our goals came from pressure and started in our own zone. That’s what we can continue to build on.”
Last season with the Bruins, his first full season in the NHL, Koepke had 10 goals and seven assists in 73 games played, both career highs. He scored his fifth goal of the season on Dec. 1 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Jets announced the signing of the Two Harbors, Minn., native on Canada Day. The 27-year-old wasn’t signed to provide consistent offence, but the team wanted to utilize his speed and defensive capabilities, hoping he could match or maybe exceed his output in Boston.
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His goal at 18:42 of the second period showed his speed as he beat Josh Norris to the back post before taking the Barron seam pass and navigating his way around Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen before dumping the puck into the back of the empty net.
“Koepke has such tremendous speed,” Arniel said. ‘That play, Barron with a great pass to get by (Bowen Byrum), but at the end of the day, that’s something when I talked to him about, it’s putting his speed on display as much as possible.”
His assist on the Pearson goal at 2:22 of the second displayed his determination and aggressive mindset.
Pearson created the original turnover at the Jets blue line, Koepke grabbing the loose puck and sending Pearson into the Sabres zone unmarked. Koepke then beat Alex Tuch and Josh Doan into the Buffalo zone, creating a two-man breakaway.
Koepke was named the first star for his two-point performance.
“He has had some looks, and has had some opportunities,” Arniel said. “I know he was squeezing his stick like a lot of guys, but at the end of the day it was great to see him get his first.”
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