Sam LoPresti

Samuel Leo LoPresti (January 30, 1917 – December 11, 1984) was an American ice hockey goaltender. He played senior and professional hockey between 1937 and 1951, including two seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Black Hawks. He was named an American Hockey Association (AHA) all-star in 1939–40 and the most valuable player of the United States Hockey League in 1949–50. He is best known for his performance with the Black Hawks on March 4, 1941, when he set an NHL record by facing 83 shots in a regulation game against the Boston Bruins. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1973.

LoPresti left the NHL during the Second World War to join the United States Navy and serve on board the SS Roger B. Taney. In 1943 the ship was torpedoed and sunk while crossing the Atlantic Ocean; LoPresti was one of 29 sailors who survived 42 days lost at sea in a single lifeboat before being rescued off the coast of Brazil. LoPresti was credited with saving the lives of his shipmates by killing a dolphin with a sheath knife, providing most of the food they had during their ordeal.

Early life LoPresti was born January 30, 1917, in Elcor, Minnesota and grew up in the nearby community of Eveleth. In his youth he played football as a tackle and a fullback. He did not wear ice skates until the ninth grade but, inspired by local players Frank Brimsek and Mike Karakas, he became a goaltender and was his high school team's starter by his final year of high school. He played for local junior colleges where he was scouted by the St. Paul Saints of the American Hockey Association (AHA). In his first season with the Saints, 1937–38, LoPresti appeared in 48 games, posted a 10–38–2 win-loss-tie record and earned a 3.62 goals against average (GAA). He improved to 23–21–2 the following season. In his third season in St. Paul, he was named to the league's second all-star team after recording 29 wins and 4 shutouts. The Saints won the AHA championship, defeating the Omaha Knights in four games. LoPresti posted a 6–1 record and 1.29 GAA during the playoffs. and won the game 3–2. assigned to duty protecting ships as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean.

As the Roger B. Taney sank, LoPresti and the other Naval Armed Guards abandoned the ship on rafts, which were picked up the next morning by the lifeboats. He was one of 26 men who took refuge in the number 4 lifeboat with little water and food supplies. The lifeboat traveled towards the South American coast in a voyage of 42 days, traveling nearly southwest, before it were found and rescued off the coast of Brazil. The men had collected rain water when they could, at times drinking only per day, and had only a small amount of biscuits and baker's chocolate for food.

LoPresti married his wife Carol in 1941, His son Pete was also an NHL goaltender, making him and Sam the first father-son goaltenders in NHL history.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP W L T Min GA SO GAA GP W L Min GA SO GAA 1936–37 Eveleth Rangers TBSHL 2 — — — 120 9 0 4.50 — — — — — — — 1937–38 St. Paul Saints AHA 48 10 36 2 2952 178 2 3.62 — — — — — — — 1938–39 St. Paul Saints AHA 44 23 21 0 2684 122 1 2.73 3 0 3 180 11 0 3.67 1939–40 St. Paul Saints AHA 47 29 18 0 2848 121 4 2.55 7 6 1 420 9 2 1.29 1940–41 Kansas City Americans AHA 18 9 9 0 1142 61 0 3.21 — — — — — — — 1940–41 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 27 9 15 3 1670 84 1 3.02 5 2 3 344 12 0 2.10 1941–42 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 47 21 23 3 2870 152 3 3.19 3 1 2 187 5 1 1.60 1946–47 Duluth Coolerators TBSHL 4 — — — 240 30 0 7.50 — — — — — — — 1949–50 Eveleth Rangers AAHL 30 17 13 0 1800 114 0 3.79 — — — — — — — 1950–51 Eveleth Rangers AAHL 20 — — — 1200 99 0 4.98 — — — — — — — NHL totals 74 30 38 6 4520 236 4 3.12 8 3 5 531 17 1 1.92