Seventeen members of La Famiglia Granatobrothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, cousins and in-laws — invaded The Can on Thursday night and will rule the arena at DU tonight.
Team Granato lost 5-4 on Thursday but will win tonight.
Granatos to the left of us, Granatos to the right of us, Granatos everywhere in Denver.
“It’s a big Italian reunion and a chance for everybody to see two big moments for our family,” said Catherine Michelle Granato.
You may know her as Cammi.
Tonight, she will become the first woman inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
On Thursday night, her brother became the first coach in Denver history to replace the man who replaced him.
You may know him as Tony.
“It’s special to have our family here, but, really, they’re here to see Cammi’s achievement,” said Tony, who wasn’t all smiles after the defeat. “I’ll enjoy the weekend, and tomorrow night will be great, but, as a coach, my concentration tonight was winning, and we didn’t do that.”
The Granatos are sort of the Flying Wallendas of hockey. They’re like the Rothschilds of banking, the Kennedys of politics, the Carters of country music, the Unsers of racing, the Astors of filthy rich.
They could have played an intrafamily scrimmage Thursday.
Instead, Cammi and Tony went to lunch. “He was calm. I was nervous,” Cammi said. “I think he’s learned so much since the first time (as Avs coach). He’s going to be an even greater coach.”
The Italian name “Granato” originated with growers and sellers of “pomegranates.” But Granato now means hockey, particularly in Downers Grove, Ill., which sounds like a town out of “Father Knows Best.”
Father Don took mother Natalie on their first date to a Chicago Blackhawks game.
Don and Natalie would drive their two daughters and four sons on a Griswold family vacation to Colorado Springs for a hockey camp.
Donnie, Rob, Tony and Cammi would play hockey in the Granato basement. There was an agreement. If any of them got hurt — being checked into the rec room wall — Mother wasn’t to be told. “I gave up Tony once,” Cammi said.
Tony and Don went on to play in the NHL, and Tony redebuted Thursday night as the Avalanche head coach. Don is head coach of the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves.
Cammi’s dream was to play in the NHL. Instead, she became a women’s college hockey star, a two-time U.S. Hockey Team forward in the Olympics and captain of the gold medal- winning team in 1998. She now can dream of coaching in the NHL.
“If some team would ask, I’d love to do it. I actually helped coach a junior team when I was 18,” she said Thursday night before the Avalanche’s opener.
How about becoming a coach with the Avalanche? She does have connections.
Avs general manager Francois Giguere was rather surprised by the question. “Cammi was a great player, and I think someday there will be a women’s coach in the NHL. (Tennessee basketball coach) Pat Summitt could coach in the NBA.”
Cammi, who has been an analyst on NBC’s NHL games, said she wouldn’t mind starting behind the scenes, adding that “scouting is a possibility. But I’d really like to be on the ice again (as a coach).”
Granato’s husband, Ray Ferraro, played in the NHL. Brother Rob played professional roller hockey. And there’s a whole team of kids — Tony and wife Linda have four future Olympians or pros or Hall of Famers preparing. Granatos all over.
Seventeen of the kin gathered for Tony’s first game as a head coach since he agreed to step down in 2004 and continue to serve as a Joel Quenneville assistant — and for Cammi’s induction in the Hall of Fame. She has served as a role model to girls who wanted to play hockey. Now, she sets the bar even higher. They can dream of being in the U.S. Hockey of Fame with the Hulls (Bobby and, on Thursday night, Brett). “I never thought about that until you asked me, but maybe this opens another doors for young women.”
Maybe, if Tony can win two or three Stanley Cups as the Avalanche coach, he can join his sister.
He was introduced in a spotlight Thursday night before he took his place behind the bench, after his sister was introduced in a ceremony earlier, then took her spot in the stands with the other members of the family.
Despite the last-second attack on the Boston goal, with the puck laying inches from the net, it’s grand to be a Granato.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
