Montreal — From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2010 11:04PM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2010 8:37AM EDT

The good old street hockey game is again under attack – and it's fighting back.

David Sasson was playing ball hockey with a dozen kids on Choquette Street in the Montreal suburb of Dollard-des-Ormeaux when the police blew the whistle.

A neighbour had filed a complaint under long-standing municipal bylaws, similar to those in most Canadian cities, which make it illegal to play any game on a street.

"I couldn't believe it, I had no idea hockey on the street was illegal," said Mr. Sasson, who is the father of two boys, aged 7 and 10, who were players.

Officers watched the game for 45 minutes on an unseasonably warm March Saturday. They twice called the woman who made the complaint, asking her to drop the matter, according to Mr. Sasson. A municipal official said the woman, who didn't relent, was just tired of the noise. Mr. Sasson refused to break up the game and was handed a $75 ticket.