Medical examiner reveals the real cause of death for Matiss Kivlenieks
Details have changed on the cause of death of 24-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks. A release from the Latvian Hockey Federation initially said Kivlenieks died after being struck in the heart by fireworks. Later on, police in Novi, Michigan, where Kivlenieks spent his final hours celebrating the 4th of July, said he fell and hit his head while trying to flee a hot tub due to malfunctioning fireworks. Now, however, the Medical Examiner in that area has updated that information.
According to Stephen Whyno with the Associated Press, the examiner who performed the autopsy says Kivlenieks was truck by a fireworks mortar and died of chest trauma. Police are still investigating, but the death has been deemed accidental.
"Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed," Tweeted Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Statements of condolences to Kivlenieks' family and friends have been released by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the NHL itself, as well as several other organizations.
Kivlenieks, who signed with Columbus as a free agent in May 2017, went 2-2-2 with a 3.09 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in eight career games with the club. He made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 19, 2020, stopping 31-of-32 shots to beat the New York Rangers, 2-1. He posted a 33-35-9 mark, 3.31 GAA, .896 SV% and three shutouts in 85 career games with the Cleveland Monsters, the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League affiliate from 2017-21. He represented Latvia at several international tournaments including the 2021 IIHF World Championships this spring, where he went 1-2 with a 2.18 GAA, .922 SV% and one shutout in four games. That shutout was against Team Canada.
