Broberg and Holloway keep showing why the Blues poached them from the Oilers last summer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway keep showing why the St. Louis Blues poached them from the Edmonton Oilers last summer.

Broberg scored twice and Holloway got his 18th goal of the season in a 5-2 victory at the Washington Capitals on Thursday night that keeps them right on the edge of the playoff race in the Western Conference. Coach Jim Montgomery and defenseman Colton Parayko lauded Broberg and Holloway for their professionalism, which paves the way for on-ice success.

“They’re rink rats,” Montgomery said. “They watch video. They’re locked in. Practice, they’re dialed in. When it’s their turn to go, they’re going as hard as they can. And then in games it’s just how well they compete and the athletic ability.”

Holloway had five goals on the Oilers’ run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and Broberg played a valuable role stepping in during the West final last season. Each a restricted free agent, they went unsigned by the West champs until August.

St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong pounced, signing them to offer sheets — Broberg two years, $9.16 million and Holloway two years, $4.58 million — that Edmonton declined to match. Parayko acknowledged not knowing much about them, but what he found out quickly impressed him.

“They came into training camp, you could see how detailed the way they work hard every day, in the weight room, on the ice,” Paryako said. “Just good seeing those guys have a lot of success because they work super hard and they’ve got a bright future ahead of them — both of them.”

The Oilers have hit a midseason slump, losing five in a row sandwiched around the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Meanwhile, Holloway in 60 games this season has surpassed his scoring total from 115 regular-season and playoff games with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2020. The 23-year-old winger said he and Broberg were at peace with their decision to sign the offer sheets and looked forward to bigger roles than they had with Edmonton.

“That’s one thing that we knew coming here, that we were going to get more opportunity,” Holloway said. “And I think as young players that’s big for our development.”

Broberg, a smooth-skating Swedish defenseman who turned 23 just after the loss to Florida in the final, had 16 points during his entire time with the Oilers. He has 20 this season.

“It’s been fun,” Broberg said. “I think the group here is great, and everybody welcomed me in so well and made me feel comfortable right away, and I’m sure Holloway felt the same. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Montgomery, who replaced Drew Bannister as coach in November, believes Broberg is finally feeling confident about joining the rush offensively. And he thinks Holloway is just scratching the surface of the player he can become.

“He’s obviously gained confidence,” Montgomery said. “He knows he’s really good in this league, and I just think he’s going to keep getting better. He’s not close to his ceiling, in my opinion.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl