ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway had a hat trick and added an assist in his return from a sprained ankle, Joel Hofer made 23 saves and the St. Louis Blues came off the Olympic break to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Thursday night.

St. Louis Blues 5, Seattle Kraken 1: Box score

Jordan Kyrou and Holloway — activated from injured reserve before the game — scored in a 23-second span early in the second period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.

Pius Suter added a goal and two assists to help the Blues end a three-game losing streak.

Holloway completed St. Louis’ first hat trick of the season with 3:01 left, scoring into an empty net for his 11th of the season.

Kaapo Kakko tied it at 1 for Seattle in the first period, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The Kraken were coming off a 4-1 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night.

Kyrou made it 2-1 at 1:12 of the second off a feed from Pavel Buchnevich on a break. Holloway poked the puck past Grubauer off a scramble at 1:35. Suter scored at 1:56 of the third.

St. Louis’ Cam Fowler appeared in his 1,100th game, becoming the 10th active defenseman in the NHL to reach the mark.

Up next

Kraken: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.

Blues: Host New Jersey on Saturday.

Seattle Kraken sign forwards Ben Meyers, Ryan Winterton to 2-year extensions

The St. Louis Blues are back in action as they host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday at Enterprise Center (7 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, 101 ESPN).

It will be the team’s first game since Feb. 4, and Jim Montgomery said the squad is ready to get back to work.

“Yeah, I think everybody is,” the head coach said. “I mean, you can tell. Guys were anxious today, but it’s like ‘enough of practicing against each other, it’s time to play a game.’”

Captain Brayden Schenn, who missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness, took the morning skate and is expected to play. Dylan Holloway (ankle), who has played just one game since Dec. 12, will make his return to the lineup as well.

Robert Thomas has taken a leave of absence due to a personal matter. He’s expected to return to the team on Friday. 

Additionally Jack Finley will make his Blues debut. Finley – who is the son of former Blue Jeff Finley and was born in St. Louis – was claimed off waivers by the team on Feb. 7.

“It was a dream of mine to play for this team,” Finley said. “It was a big part of my childhood, big part of my family’s life. So definitely full-circle moment and proud to be a Blue.”

Jeff, who played defense for the Blues from 1998-2004, will be in the building Thursday night to see his son don the jersey he wore for so many years. 

“He was excited,” Jack said about his dad. “Maybe more excited than me. He loved this organization, loved this city… He’s excited to be back.”