While Alex Ovechkin set the NHL career goal record on Sunday passing Wayne Gretzky, another hockey legend was also honored. Gretzky wore a pin with the no.9 on it, to celebrate Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe. Gretzky had passed Howe to set the goal record, before Ovechkin took it over on Sunday.

“The legacy of hockey passes down,” Gretzky said while speaking about Ovechkin, per Daily Faceoff.

Gretzky was in attendance in New York, when Ovechkin scored goal no. 895 in his career. He netted the historic shot in the second period of a game against the Islanders.

Moments after the Ovechkin goal, the television broadcast showed Gretzky looking emotional in the stands while applauding the historic feat.

Howe scored 801 goals, while playing for the Red Wings for more than 20 years. He also spent time with the former club Hartford Whalers.

Howe passed away in 2016. He posted 1,850 points in his long career with the Red Wings and elsewhere.

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Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe are all-time NHL greats

Ovechkin posted his 895th goal in his 1,487th NHL game. It took the same amount of games for Gretzky to reach 894 goals. That is truly an astonishing stat. Howe played in 1,767 games with the Red Wings and Whalers.

The Capitals star sits alone now in first for career goals. Gretzky is now second, and Howe is third. The three players are the only NHL skaters to have at least 800 goals.

The Capitals star Ovechkin trails Gretzky and the great Gordie Howe in Stanley Cups. That is one of the few areas where Ovechkin trails some of the other greats too, like Sidney Crosby. Howe won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, while Gretzky also won four in his career.

Ovechkin does have one championship while playing with the Capitals, in 2018. Washington is looking to clinch at least one more title before Ovechkin looks to hang up his skates.

The Capitals are playing the Islanders Sunday. Washington is 49-18-9 on the season.