Sam LoPresti Samuel Leo LoPresti ( January 30 , 1917 – December 11 , 1984 ) was an American ice hockey goaltender . He played several senior and professional seasons between 1937 and 1951 , including two seasons in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) for 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 where he served on board the SS " Roger B . Taney " . The ship was torpedoed during a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean and sunk in 1943 ; 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 nearly the only food they had during their ordeal . Early life . LoPresti was born Janauary 30 , 1917 , in Elcor , Minnesota , though he grew up in the nearby community of Eveleth . He played football as a youth , playing at tackle and fullback . He had never worn a pair of ice skates until the ninth grade . However , inspired by local players Frank Brimsek and Mike Karakas , he took up the position of 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 American Hockey Association ( AHA ) ' s St . Paul Saints . Playing career . In his first season with the Saints , 1937 – 38 , LoPresti appeared in 48 games , posting a 10 – 38 – 2 win - loss - tie record and a 3 . 62 goals against average ( GAA ) . He improved to 23 – 21 – 2 the following season . In his third season in St . Paul , LoPresti was named to the league ' s second all - star team after recording 29 wins and 4 shutout s . 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 . During that season , he was discovered by Bill Tobin and Paul Thompson , president and coach of the NHL ' s Chicago Black Hawks , during an exhibition game between the two teams . He was signed by Chicago , and began the season with the AHA ' s Kansas City Americans . LoPresti was recalled to Chicago when goaltender Paul Goodman retired . He made his NHL debut on January 5 , 1941 , and went unbeaten in his first four starts . He appeared in 27 games with Chicago , finishing with a record of 9 – 15 – 3 . He made NHL history on March 4 in a game against the Boston Bruins . He faced a league record 83 shots in a regulation , 60 minute game . It took Boston 42 shots to beat LoPresti for their first goal , and kept the Black Hawks close in what was ultimately a 3 – 2 Boston victory . As Chicago ' s top goaltender in the 1941 – 42 NHL season , LoPresti won 21 games against 23 losses . He was his team ' s star in the Black Hawks ' 1942 Stanley Cup playoff series against the Bruins . He recorded one playoff shutout to go with three in the regular season , but Chicago was eliminated by Boston . He then left the NHL to join the United States Navy during the Second World War , theorizing that " it was safer to face Nazi U - boats in the North Atlantic than vulcanized rubber in North America . " Military service . LoPresti joined the Navy ' s armed guard service and served aboard the SS " Roger B . Taney " as a gunner ' s mate , assigned to duty protecting ships as they crossed the Atlantic Ocean . The ship was torpedoed and sunk during an Atlantic crossing in February 1943 . Listed as missing in action , LoPresti was thought to be the first casualty among American professional athletes in the conflict . As the " Roger B . Taney " sank , LoPresti was one of 29 men who took refuge in a single lifeboat with minimal water or food supplies . The lifeboat drifted for 42 days , traveling nearly southwest , before they were found and rescued off the coast of Brazil . They had collected rain water when they could , at times drinking only per day and had only a small amount of biscuits and bakers chocolate for food . LoPresti was credited with saving the men ' s lives by catching the only real food they had during their entire ordeal after noticing dolphins swimming around their boat on one occasion . According to another sailor , LoPresti improvised a weapon by lashing a sheath knife to a boat hook . He plunged into the ocean , catching a dolphin . They hauled it into the boat , drank its blood , and cooked the meat in a metal bucket with rags and kerosene . Later career and personal life . LoPresti returned to hockey following his ordeal , but never played in the NHL again . He played two seasons in California with the San Diego Skyhawks before returning to his Minnesota home to play several seasons of senior hockey in Duluth and Eveleth . He was named the most valuable player of the North America Hockey League in 1949 – 50 as a member of the Eveleth Rangers , and retired from hockey in 1951 . He was a charter member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame , inducted in 1973 . LoPresti married his wife Carol in 1941 , and operated a tavern in Eveleth following his playing career . His son Pete was also an NHL player . Pete was also a goaltender , making him and Sam the first father - son goaltenders in NHL history .