The Edmonton Oilers fell short in a 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames on Saturday night, a game where flashes of brilliance were ultimately overshadowed by missed opportunities. Coming off the holiday break, the Oilers sought their first three-game winning streak of the season but couldn't overcome the Flames on the road.

The defeat leaves the Oilers with a 19-14-6 record. Calgary, meanwhile, improved to 16-18-4, inching closer to a Western Conference wild-card spot.

The Oilers started the game strong on the power play. Evan Bouchard's goal, assisted by Leon Draisaitl, marked a continuation of the Oilers' power-play success, as they had been converting at a high rate in their previous five games. Draisaitl's assist also extended his point streak to six games.

However, the Flames responded, and the Oilers found themselves trailing. Ryan Lomberg's goal gave the Flames a lead. Despite Connor McDavid's impressive goal in the third period, which extended his point streak to 12 games and put him atop the league scoring charts, the Oilers couldn't find the equalizer. McDavid has tallied 13 goals and 19 assists during this 12-game stretch.

Dustin Wolf, in his 100th NHL game, made 29 saves for the Flames. Oilers' goalie Connor Ingram, making his third consecutive start, also stopped 29 shots but was handed his first loss of the season, bringing his record to 2-1-0.

The Oilers struggled to gain momentum after giving up the first goal, continuing a season-long trend. Their record now stands at 3-13-3 in games where they concede the first goal.

Several factors contributed to the Oilers' inability to secure the win. A turnover in their own end led to Lomberg's go-ahead goal for the Flames. Despite a strong push in the final minutes, Bouchard's shot hit the post, symbolizing the narrow margin between success and failure for the Oilers on this night.

Looking ahead, the Oilers will need to capitalize on their offensive chances and tighten up defensively. The team will face the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.