Willard Ikola Willard Ikola ( born July 28 , 1932 ) was an American ice hockey player and high school boy ' s hockey coach . Born in Eveleth , Minnesota , a powerhouse in hockey ( owning seven state high school championships , including the very first Minnesota state hockey tournament in 1945 , and producing six members of US Olympic hockey teams ) he began playing hockey as a young boy , eventually going on to play in the 1956 Winter Olympics and coaching high school for over 30 years . Hockey career . Ikola got his start playing hockey as a boy in Eveleth . He soon took up the position of goaltender which he would play for the rest of his career . After winning three consecutive state championships with the Eveleth boys hockey team ( 1948 - 1950 ) in the last three years of his high school career , he went on to play with the International Hockey League team , the Detroit Auto Club ( 1951 - 1952 ) . After less than a year in the IHL , Ikola went to play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the University of Michigan . Although he only played two seasons as a Wolverine , during his time at the University of Michigan , Ikola played on two NCAA championship teams in 1951 and 1952 . In 1955 , Ikola would join the United States Olympic hockey team , where he would play in the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina , Italy . Ikola helped the US hockey team earn a silver medal as well as being named outstanding goalie of the games . Ikola , alongside with former Michigan teammate John Matchefts , became the first Michigan medalists in the winter games . Although the hockey team lost the gold medal to the Soviet Union , they beat the hockey powerhouse Canadian team in the semi - final round for a chance at the gold . At that time , professional hockey was still developing the United States , and all of the players on the US Olympic team were college level players , while other teams like Canada and the Soviet union were composed of professional players . After playing a few more seasons with the US Olympic team , Ikola retired from playing hockey in 1958 . However , he did not leave the sport completely . He soon took up a coaching position for the Edina High School boys hockey team , were he became one of the most successful high school coaches in history . High school coaching career . As head ice hockey coach at Edina High School and Edina East High School in Edina , Minnesota , Ikola compiled a 616 - 149 - 38 record , which is third - best in the nation and the most wins by any coach in the state of Minnesota . During his 33 - year career ( 1958 - 91 ) , Ikola ' s teams won 22 Lake Conference championships , 19 section titles and eight state championships . Fifteen of his teams won more than 20 games ( out of approximately 25 to 30 games per season ) , and he had only one losing season ; his first year as a coach . During his high school coaching career , Ikola was named Minnesota high school hockey coach of the year six times . Famous for his trademark hounds - tooth hat , Ikola was modest when speaking of his coaching record . " I never scored a goal or prevented one either , " he said . " All the credit for our success belongs to the kids . " Although he retired from coaching in 1991 he still stayed active in hockey by becoming a scout for the NHL ' s New York Islanders .