Manitoba Moose

When Michael Grabner's sharp-shooter eye comes into focus, sometimes it's too good.

Moose goalie Cory Schneider, hit square between the eyes with a Grabner shot at the team's Friday-morning game-day skate, can attest to that.

But the 23-year-old Austrian more than redeemed himself Friday night, extending his personal scoring streak to five games by zipping home a third-period goal that became the winner in a 4-3 decision over the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena.

"When he's feeling good about himself, playing his game... those pucks seem to hit those targets," said Moose coach Scott Arniel.

Even his own goalie's mask?

"That'll cost him 50 bucks," Arniel laughed, citing a team rule about practice on game days.

Grabner indeed coughed up the fine but didn't seem to mind one bit, given how he's emerged from a 14-game scoring drought to regain his golden touch.

"If I would know why it changes, I'd try harder to keep it on the hot side," Grabner said. "Right now our line is playing good and both the other guys (Marco Rosa and Dan Sexton, who also scored Friday) are getting chances to score goals, too. It's going real good right now and we just have to keep on doing what we're doing."

About the morning incident, Grabner said it was pure accident.

"Our guys get on anyone who hits the goalie in the head," he said. "The puck flipped up on me and hit him dead in the head and I felt pretty bad. He said he saw it coming and didn't feel too bad so it worked out all right."

Schneider, mostly joking, called Grabner "The Austrian," when singling out the culprit after the morning skate.

"Us Europeans, we all have our own names made up by the other guys," Grabner laughed. "It's always just a little fun, good fun."

This kind of streak will undoubtedly catch the eye of the Vancouver Canucks. Their 2006 first-round pick played nine games for the NHL team in late 2009 before breaking his ankle and halting some important career momentum.

"He made no mistake (on the winner), so when he gets hot, he gets real hot," Arniel noted. "It's good to have him on a streak like that."

Schneider, who was again rock-solid with 32 saves, was grateful for what was, at the time, the 4-2 goal with 4:14 to play.

"They were coming hard and we were sitting back a bit, so to get an insurance goal like that, well, they're good because you never know when you're going to need them," Schneider said. "And maybe he should be thanking me because I let in another one to give him the game-winner."

The victory continued the Moose win-one-lose-one streak of the last five, but more importantly, pulled them to within two of the Amerks for second spot in the North Division.

Today, the team faces the Toronto Marlies in an afternoon contest, completing the first four-game section of their seven-game swing away from home. The Moose return to Winnipeg late tonight and resume their trip next weekend in Houston and San Antonio.