Columbus Blue Jackets goalie dies in Novi after fireworks malfunction
Matiss Kivlenieks #80 of the Columbus Blue Jackets looks on during the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on May 8, 2021. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NOVI, Mich. - The Columbus Blue Jackets and Latvian Hockey Federation said Monday that 24-year-old goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has died.
He died from an apparent head injury in a fall after medical personnel arrived, the team said in a statement. It was not immediately clear what caused the fall or where he was at the time. Multiple messages left with team and national federation personnel were not immediately returned.
Novi police later confirmed that the death happened at a home in the city, but declined to give the location.
The Blue Jackets called it a "tragic accident." Commissioner Gary Bettman offered condolences in a statement.
Columbus general manager Jarmo Kekalainen tweeted: "Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed."
According to Novi police, officers were called to a home at 10:13 p.m. Sunday night for a reported injury.
In a revised statement, police said that fireworks hit Kivlenieks in the chest, causing his death. It was originally reported he slipped exiting a hot tub after a firework malfunction and hit his head.
An autopsy will be released later today.
"We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family and friends during this devastating time," Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said. "Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten."
Bettman said Kivlenieks' "love for life and passion for the game will be deeply missed by all those who have been fortunate to have him as a teammate and a friend."
Kivlenieks most recently represented Latvia this spring at the world hockey championship in which he played four games. He played two games for the Blue Jackets and eight for the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters this past season.
A native of Riga, Latvia, Kivlenieks signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent in May 2017 and played eight teams for the club. The Latvian Hockey Federation called Kivlenieks' death "a great loss not only for Latvian hockey but for the entire Latvian nation."