CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- Valeri Bure knew the importance of this game.

Bure had a goal, an assist and stopped the potential tying goal as the Calgary Flames hung on for a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

"I don't think anybody had a problem getting up for this game because it meant so much if you just look at the standings," Bure said. "We're so close right now that a game like this is like a playoff situation."

The victory gave Calgary 34 points, two behind Edmonton in the Northwest Division. The first of six meetings between the provincial rivals produced a spirited and physical game in front of a season-high 16,807 enthusiastic fans.

Edmonton had its three-game unbeaten streak end.

"It was a hard battle but it's a frustrating loss as we had had a lot of chances," Ryan Smyth said. "It all comes down to burying our chances, that's how you win hockey games."

With the game 2-1, Alexander Selivanov sent Todd Marchant in alone and Fred Brathwaite made the save. Then Jim Dowd's shot got through Brathwaite's pads, but was swept away by Bure as it trickled toward the net.

"We talk a lot about coming down low to help the defense and that's what happened on that play," Bure said. "The puck was right there in the crease and nobody seemed to see it and I was able to jump on it."

Clarke Wilm scored four minutes into the second period to give Calgary a 1-0 lead, and Bure made it 2-0 with 4:27 remaining in the period when he took a pass from Hnat Domenichelli and rifled a shot into the top corner of the net from 15 feet.

Smyth pulled Edmonton within a goal 3:13 into the third period. But Brathwaite, with a little help from Bure, frustrated the Oilers the remainder of the game, played in front of a season-high crowd of 16,807.

Brathwaite, who made 30 saves against his former team, is 9-7-3 and has allowed only four goals in his last five games, posting a .976 save percentage.

One key was Edmonton's failure to score on either of two lengthy two-man power-play advantages. After wasting a 56-second chance in the first period, the Oilers failed to register a shot during a 1:47 opportunity early in the third.

Edmonton had several chances to tie the game in the third, but could not beat Brathwaite.