The shocking news broke earlier this morning that Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks had passed away at the age of 24.
A medical examiner in Michigan told members of the press that an autopsy had been performed on Kivlenieks, and that the cause of death appears to be chest trauma suffered as a result of a fireworks mishap late last night.
EMTs arrived at a private residence shortly after 10pm on July 4th and rushed Kivlenieks to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Matiss was an undrafted Latvian goaltender who was under contract with the Blue Jackets through 2021-22. In 8 career NHL starts he had 2 wins and a 3.09 GAA/.899 SV% .
The Latvian Hockey Federation and Columbus Blue Jackets have been expressing their sympathy for the Kivlenieks family throughout the day. It is expected that the club will hold a press conference in the coming days as more information becomes available.