Philip Broberg scores twice as the Blues beat the Capitals 5-2 to move closer to a playoff spot

Philip Broberg's two goals lead the St. Louis Blues to a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, tightening their grip on a playoff spot. The Blues have now won three straight games.

STEPHEN WHYNO, Associated Press

St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg (6) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko (55) celebrates his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) shoots the puck past Washington Capitals center Aliaksei Protas (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Blues left wing Pavel Buchnevich (89) battle for the puck against Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) and center Dylan Strome (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington Capitals left wing Andrew Mangiapane (88) and St. Louis Blues right wing Mathieu Joseph (71) scuffle during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) plays the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Washington Capitals right wing Brandon Duhaime (22) skates with the puck against St. Louis Blues defenseman Cam Fowler (17) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Philip Broberg scored twice to help the St. Louis Blues beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Thursday night, inching closer to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and handing the top team in the East a rare second loss in a row.

Dylan Holloway and Colton Parayko also scored and Jake Neighbours had an empty-net goal for the Blues, who have won three straight to stay in contention with the March 7 NHL trade deadline fast approaching. Moves general manager Doug Armstrong made last summer in signing Broberg and Holloway to offer sheets, poaching them from Edmonton, keep paying dividends for St. Louis, which got 16 saves from backup Joel Hofer.

Winger Tom Wilson was a late scratch because of illness for the Capitals, who dropped back-to-back games in regulation for the first time since Dec. 16-17 despite goals from Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael. Charlie Lindgren allowed four goals on 18 shots, and Alex Ovechkin remains 12 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky's career record.

Takeaways

Blues: In captain Brayden Schenn's 1,000th regular-season game in the league, his teammates brought some of their best, perhaps making Armstrong pause instead of selling at the deadline.

Capitals: For as well as things had been going before the week started, it looks like this team has hit a midseason lull.

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Key moment

After McMichael tied it at 2 late in the second period, Holloway and Parayko scored 35 seconds apart to quiet the crowd that had just gotten back into the game.