Matthew Phillips is already off to a strong start with his new team.
Monday, the former Capitals forward scored the first goal of the Colorado Avalanche’s preseason, a layup in front of the net.
Phillips, wearing number 54 with the Avs, found paydirt after taking a cross-crease feed from TJ Tynan, a 32-year-old depth forward originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011. Nikita Prishchepov had the secondary assist.
The even-strength goal tied the game 1-1 with 4:05 remaining in the first period. The Avalanche would go on to lose 3-2 to the Dallas Stars.
In 15:46 of ice time, Phillips had four shots, five individual shot attempts, three individual scoring chances, and two individual high-danger chances. The undersized forward was one of the best players on the ice for Colorado, with the Avalanche holding an advantage in 5v5 shot attempts (12-6), scoring chances (7-4), and high-danger chances (4-2) during his minutes. The Avs had an expected goals percentage of 71.3 when Phillips was on the ice — second-highest on the team.
Phillips’ early exhibition success for the Avalanche follows his incredible performance with the Capitals in five preseason games last fall. The 26-year-old Calgary native scored two goals and registered an assist, earning an opening-night roster spot on the Capitals after being a dominant player in the Flames’ system in the years prior.
Phillips’ rookie NHL season in the NHL was a whirlwind — he was claimed on waivers twice and played 28 games in Washington and 3 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He finished the year with the AHL’s Calder Cup championship-winning team, the Hershey Bears, but could not carve out a full-time role for himself after such a year of on and off again ice time.
The 2024-25 season figures to be a big one for Phillips. He signed a one-year contract with the Avalanche in early August, paying him $775k at the NHL level and $287.5k in the minors. He could complement a fast-strike Avalanche team featuring two of the NHL’s best skaters: Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
