Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died of chest trauma from fireworks blast

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Matiss Kivlenieks died in a tragic accident on Sunday, and new information has been released about the incident that led to his death.

Police in Novi, Mich., said Monday morning that Kivlenieks died after he fell and hit his head while fleeing a hot tub during a “firework malfunction.” It’s unclear if Kivlenieks fell and hit his head, but an autopsy has revealed that Kivlenieks was actually killed by an errant firework.

According to The Associated Press, a medical examiner in Michigan says Kivlenieks “died of chest trauma from an errant fireworks mortar blast” and not from a fall.

Kivlenieks was 24.

Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said in a statement Monday that the team is “shocked and saddened” by Kivlenieks’ death. He extended condolences to Kivlenieks’ mother Astrida and the rest of his family.

“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,” Davidson said.

Kivlenieks signed with the Blue Jackets in 2017 after he went undrafted. He started two games for Columbus this past season and more recently played for Latvia at the IIHF World Championships.