There's something special about this Colorado Avalanche season that makes you want to jump on the bandwagon. And for Dr. Neil Phippen, a gynecologic oncologist at AdventHealth Porter, that excitement isn't just for himself—he's sharing it with the patients who need it most.

"For a hockey fan, I don't know if you can be in a better place," says Phippen, whose eyes light up whenever the Avs take the ice. "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 such great energy there. It doesn't hurt when they're winning, which they do a lot of."

Phippen's connection to the game runs deep—it's practically in his blood. Growing up in Denver, he was there when the Avalanche first arrived, even working as a stick boy alongside his best friend. He still remembers the magic of those early days, like when hockey legend Wayne Gretzky came to town with the Los Angeles Kings.

"All these players would have extra sticks," Phippen recalls with a smile. "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. 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."

That passion followed him to college, where he suited up for the University of Denver's hockey team. "You hear about fourth line grinders," he says, laughing. "I was kind of one of those fifth line guys—the guys you don't hear a lot about."

After trading his skates for medical school and a stint in the military, Phippen found his way back to the rink in a different way. Now, even in the hospital halls of AdventHealth Porter, the Avalanche are never far from conversation. "Hockey comes up quite a bit because the Colorado Avalanche are such an incredible team," he says. Whether it's a tough day or a win streak, he brings that same energy to his patients—reminding them that sometimes, a little hockey spirit is the best medicine.