Wendell Cruz-Imagn ImagesMadison Square Garden III on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Street opened in 1925 and was notorious for its poor ice until it closed in 1968.
When the present MSG opened in 1968, the ice surface was no better than the previous one.
Blueshirts manager Emile (The Cat) Francis offered proof in one sentence when he was asked about the new rink. His reply simply was: "I've seen better ice on the roads in Saskatchewan!"
(The Cat was right-on, having grown up in North Battleford, Sask.)