Then again, the game that followed the Cirque du Soleil performance bore little resemblance to the sport we know and love.

The NHL's 57th All-Star Game was exactly what we've come to expect: the players went through the motions, they didn't play defence and acted as though body contact was some sort of mortal sin.

What a joke. Again.

The All-Star game is still a farce, yet Sunday's exhibition was the most exciting mid-season shinny contest in years. The participants actually displayed a hint of passion during overtime and the shootout. For a few minutes, anyway, their competitive juices – and sense of pride – kicked in. But the first 60 minutes of hockey was an abysmal attempt to showcase the game and its best players.

I'll take my cynic's hat off for a moment and acknowledge that this year's All-Star weekend was something special. You didn't have to be in Montreal to appreciate just how much the event meant to the city, and just how important the Canadiens are to the province of Quebec. I never get tired of seeing legends such as Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore and Guy Lafleur paraded out to the cheering masses. The Habs honour their history as well as any franchise in professional sports. Once again, they did a magnificent job in linking the past to the present.

It's just too bad the NHL couldn't have done its part and put a better product on the ice for the fans in Montreal and the ones who watched it on television. I'm not sure what was more embarrassing for the league: the game itself, the skills competition, or the dreadful exhibition that was the YoungStars game.

My vote goes to the YoungStars game.

What was the point of flying rookies and sophomores to Montreal to play a "mini-game" with six-minute periods of straight time? The contest had about as much intensity as a yoga class in a seniors' home. While I'm sure the players were thrilled to be there, they competed as though they'd rather be lying on a tropical beach, sipping fruity beverages, trying to convince innocent young women, that yes, they are in fact professional hockey players.

The skills competition, meanwhile, reached a brand new low this year. The free-style shootout – or whatever they call it – was an even bigger disaster than last year. Did I see a player fall on his backside in an attempt to score or was that just a bad dream?

The participants looked embarrassed to be involved. Moreover, they were completely unprepared for the event and displayed an appalling lack of creativity. In the end, Alex Ovechkin stole the show, wearing a silly hat and goofy sunglasses in an apparent tribute to Elton John.

Come to think of it, Elton John would have made a nice addition to the weekend. At least then there would have been a few hits.