Avalanche fan brings passion for the team to his oncology patients

During a season like this, it's hard not to root for the Colorado Avalanche.

And one fan is sharing passion for the team with his patients.

"For a hockey fan, I don't know if you can be in a better place," said Dr. Neil Phippen, a gynecologic oncologist with AdventHealth Porter.

When the Avs come on, Phippen locks in.

"I try to watch as much hockey as my schedule allows. I love going to Avalanche games when I get the chance. There's just, you know, such great energy there," Phippen said. "It doesn't hurt when they're winning, which they do a lot of."

Phippen's been around the sport his whole life. Playing, watching, even working as a stick boy with his buddy when the Avalanche moved to town.

"I remember when Wayne Gretzky came to town playing for the Los Angeles Kings," Phippen said. "All these players would, you know, they'd have extra sticks, and so during the game, they'd go out on the ice and my buddy and I would put on Wayne Gretzky's extra gloves and take a Wayne Gretzky stick, and we'd play a little bit of stick hockey in the hallway.

"It was a pretty special experience. And then of course, that was the year they won the Stanley Cup, the first Stanley Cup here."

Phippen kept his passion on the ice going in college, playing on the University of Denver's hockey team.

"You hear about fourth line grinders. I was kind of one of those fifth line guys, the guys you don't hear a lot about," he said, laughing.

After college, Phippen traded his skates for medical school and the military.

Now, Phippen works as a gynecologic oncologist with AdventHealth Porter. Even in the hospital, the Avs still arrive in conversation.

"Hockey? I mean around here it comes up quite a bit because the Colorado Avalanche are such an incredible team," Phippen said.

Phippen helps guide his patients through cancer and some of the toughest moments of their lives. He said a playoff run can give people hope.

"100%, it does. I believe it does for sure," Phippen said. "I mean even from just a simple standpoint of a kind of a disconnection from reality for a little while, it's helpful."

That hope has him and his patients cheering the team forward.

"100%. No doubts," Phippen said.

Phippen is keeping his love of hockey going strong by passing on that passion to the next generation, coaching with his former teammate and close buddy, and helping give back to kids on the ice.