Massachusetts-born Riley played for his country at the 1948 Olympic Games in St Moritz and was player-coach of the side which won bronze at the World Championships in Stockholm the following year.

But his most notable achievement came on home ice at the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California, where his American team beat highly-fancied Czechoslovakia 9-4 to seal an unlikely gold medal.

“It wasn’t always brotherly love, but this extraordinary group pulled together where it really counted… on the ice,” Riley wrote in the foreword to 1960: Miracle at Squaw Valley, a book published about the American team’s underdog triumph.

The United States side at their home Winter Olympics won all seven matches during the ice hockey competition, including victories over arch-rivals Canada and heavyweights the Soviet Union.

Riley, a World War II veteran, also coached the Army team from 1950 to 1986, during which he was named National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Coach of the Year on two occasions.

He guided the Army team to 29 victorious seasons before his retirement in 1986.

Riley, whose real name was John, was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979 before he was also given a place in the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.

“Jack's imprint on the game was enormous,” USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean said.

“While to many he is best known as the head coach of the 1960 gold medal team, he devoted his entire career and life to coaching and developing young men.”

Lou Vairo, director of special projects for USA Hockey and also a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, added: “He’s an absolute legend of the game and someone we’ll miss dearly.

“He always made himself available to anyone in hockey and particularly youth hockey players and coaches.”

Riley passed away at a retirement home in Massachusetts.