Didn't anybody tell this bunch that All-Star games are supposed to be boring?

There was blood. During his first shift of the game, North America winger Eric Daze was elbowed in the head while jockeying for position in front of World goalie Dominik Hasek. The cut that opened over his right eye trickled blood down his cheek for the remainder of the period and took sevens stitches to close.

"My first shift, my first game, and I got caught right away," said Daze, who was awarded MVP honors for his two-goal, one-assist effort. "But after that, it was a nice day."

There was hitting. Well, at least by one player. The stat sheet at the end of the game showed a lone, glaring "1" in the hit column next to none other than Jeremy Roenick's name. Halfway through the first period, J.R. rode Alexei Zhitnik hard into the boards, knocking the unsuspecting Ukranian to the ice.

"I'm from Philly, the Broad Street Bullies, the rough-neck days. I had to show that Philly mentality," said Roenick. "And I always try to do things a little differently, and it was just a perfect angle."

Zhitnik shrugged if off. "Sure, it's kind of illegal to hit anybody in an All-Star game, you don't want to damage anybody," he says. "But I can take a hit, I'm still a little younger than J.R."

There was heckling. Every time former-King Rob Blake touched the puck, the L.A. fans booed. When Patrick Roy allowed his second goal of the game, the fans behind him started the infamous playoff chant of "Paaaa-trick, Paaaa-rick."

There was defense. Yes, defense, in an All-Star game. Shocking as it was, the defensemen stood their ground and made life tough for the opposing forwards. Jaromir Jagr was actually seen backchecking late in the third period.

There was suspense. The World team entered the third period down 5-3, then scored five unanswered goals for the comeback victory. For the minute and 18 seconds that the game was tied, the possibility of sudden-death OT seemed very real. But Marcus Naslund's game winner beat North America goalie Sean Burke and put an end to such crazy thoughts.

Crazy thoughts, like ones of stitches, checking and defense in an All-Star game.

E-mail Lindsay Berra at lindsay.berra@espnmag.com.