RALEIGH, N.C. -- NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and many other League executives were at Lenovo Center on Wednesday to see Alex Ovechkin score his 892nd goal, moving the Washington Capitals forward to within three of breaking Wayne Gretzky 's NHL record of 894.

The game will be stopped for a ceremony when Alex Ovechkin passes Wayne Gretzky for most all-time goals, regardless of playoff implications.

For Alex Ovechkin, scoring the 890th goal of his career wasn't such a sweet moment; in fact, moving five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record didn't matter much to the 39-year-old after an 8-5 loss at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres.