Sam LoPresti

Samuel Leo LoPresti (* June 30, 1917 in Elcor, St. Louis County, Minnesota, † December 11, 1984 in Eveleth, Minnesota) was an American professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks and is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Career

The Italian -born LoPresti grew up in Eveleth in northern Minnesota. In his youth, he played for various teams in Eveleth, St. Cloud and Duluth. His professional career began in 1937 with the St. Paul Saints, a team of the American Hockey Association. From there he moved to season 1940/41 to the Chicago Blackhawks. After he was first employed in the farm team, he pushed Paul Goodman and became the new goalkeeper. Noteworthy was the game on March 4, 1941, the Blackhawks lost 2:3 against the Boston Bruins. LoPresti stopped 80 of 83 shots on his goal, setting a still valid today NHL record. After two years with the Blackhawks, where he played a total of 82 games, he went in 1942 to the United States Navy. After his ship was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean in the spring of 1943, spent the crew to rescue 42 days in a lifeboat at sea. Then LoPresti played temporarily for the San Diego Skyhawks, the Duluth and the Duluth Coolerators Steelers until he returned in 1949 after Eveleth to the Rangers. There he was elected to the 1949/50 season most valuable player of the Northern Amateur Hockey League. In 1951 he finished his hockey career.

1973 LoPresti was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. His son Pete played in the 1970s, also as a goalie in the NHL.