Connor McDavid scored the game's lone goal midway through the first period and Mikko Koskinen collected a 24-save shutout as the host Edmonton Oilers held on for a 1-0 victory over the Calgary Flames on Sunday night.

The Oilers have won three straight games, and posted a 7-2-1 record since Ken Hitchcock took over as head coach on Nov. 20 to pull themselves to within striking distance of the playoff picture.

Koskinen has won all six starts on home ice this season, three of them with shutouts.

McDavid's winning goal came at 12:18 of the first period by finishing a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play.

McDavid started the odd-man rush up the ice before moving the puck to Leon Draisaitl, who put it over to Alex Chiasson. Chiasson sent a cross-ice pass that McDavid one-timed for the tally, his 11th goal in 14 career games against Calgary.

McDavid, who netted his 16th goal of the season, is on a roll these days, having potted two goals and six points in the last three games.

The game turned into something of a defensive battle, with a solid touch of strong goaltending from both netminders.

Koskinen delivered huge stops on Derek Ryan and Sam Bennett during a sequence late in the second period, and a couple of clutch saves during Calgary's late push.

At the other end, Flames goalie David Rittich delivered big saves on both Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Draisaitl when they had second-period breakaways. Rittich finished with 29 saves in the loss that snaps his team's five-game winning streak.

Calgary forward Anthony Peluso thought he scored on a deflection midway through the second period, but it was ruled goalie interference after a challenge by the Oilers.

The Flames, who played on consecutive nights and for the third time in four days, will have one key player return next outing as captain Mark Giordano served the second and final game of his suspension.

--Field Level Media