Kivlenieks passing is a reminder of how life can change instantly.
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, 24, passed away on Monday in Novi, MI (a Detroit suburb), a victim of a fireworks mishap. Kivlenieks was visiting his goaltending coach, Manny Legace, when a blast struck Kivlenieks in the chest. He also suffered a head injury while scrambling to exit a hot tub where he was situated at the time of the accident.
The tragedy produced shock waves across the sporting world–in the hockey community, especially–as fans and peers mourned the loss of a promising young player. The Latvian Ice Hockey Federation said (Kivlenieks passing) “is a great loss not only for Latvian hockey but for the entire Latvian nation.”
Others followed suit. In Columbus, Blue Jackets fans placed signs, flowers, hockey sticks, and balloons at the entrance to the team’s arena. And the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens held a moment of silence on July 5 before playing Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
A Riga, Lavia native, Kivlenieks came to the NHL in 2017 as an undrafted, free agent rookie. Used sparingly, he played eight career games (2-2-2 record) and had a 3.09 goals-against average and a 0.899 save percentage. Kivlenieks, the Blue Jackets’ third-line goalie, was expected to be a full-time club member in 2021-22.
Before joining the NHL, Kivlenieks found success internationally. Notably, he recorded 38 saves against Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. Team Canada outpaced Latvia more than 2-1 in puck possessions and shot totals but, largely because of Kivlenieks’ play, Latvia prevailed, 2-0.
Kivlenieks passing is a reminder of how life can change instantly. One moment, he was a professional athlete–an internationally acclaimed star–vying to become a starting NHL goalie. The next moment, he is gone. Rest in peace, Matiss Kivlenieks.
