Even though the Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators have given up the most amount of goals in the NHL, combining to allow nine in the first period alone is quite the staggering statistic.

Following the first period of action, the Chicago Blackhawks hold a 5-4 lead over the Ottawa Senators. Whenever the Blackhawks thread the mesh for five, there's an extremely high chance that Patrick Kane is going to be involved on the scoresheet. In the first period alone, Kane finished with a goal and an assist.

Coming into the game, Kane was hiding a 16-game assist streak, the longest ever by an American-born player.

His 17-game assist streak now only trails two legendary playmakers: Adam Oates and Wayne Gretzky.

That's some pretty impressive company. Kane has already surpassed his second highest single-season points record of 89, and has worked his way into the Hart conversation with his dominating second-half surge.

If the Blackhawks could start limiting the amount of goals they let in, then they could conceivably grab one of the wild-card spots in the West.

UPDATE: The Blackhawks now lead the Senators 7-5.

(h/t Eric Lear)