First Responder’s Love For Hockey

Tony Granato ’83 enjoys golf with fellow alums at Reunion.

entice attendance at that state’s university. One university even tried to get him to leave Northwood mid-year and fill a hole on the college’s roster for the second semester.

Wisconsin won the lottery, and Tony left there as their fourth all-time leading scorer with 220 career points. Then came a long pro journey (Rangers, Kings, and Sharks) which included a four-goal game against Mario Lemieux’s Penguins, an All-Star game, 249 goals and a reputation as one of the toughest players in the game. He both played and coached for the United States in the Olympics, and had stints as an assistant coach with the Penguins and the Red Wings, and a few seasons as head coach of the Avalanche. He is currently head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. His has been a career marked by courage, character, and unmatched love for the game.

On a personal note, I have witnessed innumerable times the class with which he conducts himself. One small example: As a coach with the Penguins, Tony was in Montreal for a Stanley Cup series. About two hours before game time, my phone rang; it was Tony. He said “It is quite a thrill to be here. It made me think of how I got to this point, and I want you to know I appreciate the role Northwood played in all that’s happened to me.” That phone call was from someone who is an all-star in much more than hockey.

Rob Serra’97 celebrates after scoring a goal for the FDNY hockey team at the Nassau Coliseum in 2004.

Photo: Bill Bennett

A First Responder’s Love For Hockey

Rob Serra ’97 featured on NHL Network

At school meeting on September 11, 2020, we marked the anniversary of September 11 by watching a short film about Rob Serra, a Northwood grad from the Class of 1997 whose first day on the job at the FDNY was 9/11. In recent years, Rob has advocated successfully for health care, benefits and compensation for emergency services professionals who became ill as a result of their service on 9/11 and has even been featured on the NHL Network. Rob’s work is an example of Huskies engaging their world and leading lives of consequence. None of our current students were born on 9/11/2001, but after learning of Rob’s story, we all have a personal connection to the tragedy. In 2018, Rob contributed a guest essay about the role hockey has played in his life titled Life’s Goals for the Northwood Mirror, Northwood’s student-led paper.

WATCH THE FILM HERE.

Scan the QR code for a direct link to Rob’s story.