Fireworks malfunction kills NHL player in Michigan

FILE - Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks (80) is shown during the second period of an NHL hockey game in New York, in this Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, file photo. The Columbus Blue Jackets and Latvian Hockey Federation said Monday, July 5, 2021, that 24-year-old goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has died. The team said in a statement Kivlenieks died from an apparent head injury in a fall after medical personnel arrived. It was not immediately clear what caused the fall or where he was at the time of the incident, and multiple messages were left with team and national federation personnel that were not immediately returned.(AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File) (Kathy Willens, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

NOVI, Mich – An NHL player was killed in a fireworks accident Sunday night, WDIV reported.

Matiss Kivlenieks, 24, who played for Columbus Blue Jackets as a goalie, was at a gathering Sunday night when apparently fireworks began to malfunction in Novi, a town near Detroit.

Recommended Videos



Police initially said Kivlenieks slipped and hit his head as he fled a hot tub. In a statement, medical personnel were immediately called but he died a short time later.

An autopsy said Monday he suffered blunt force trauma to his chest, WDIV reported.

The Blue Jackets released a statement to WDIV Monday, stating they are “shocked and saddened” by the news.

“(Kivlenieks) 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,” said John Davidson, Blue Jackets president of Hockey Operations.

Kivlenieks signed with the Blue Jackets in May 2017, later making his NHL debut in 2020. He represented his home country of Latvia for several occasions, including the 2021 IIHF World Championships, the team said in a statement.


About the Author:

A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, Ana moved to H-Town from sunny southern California in 2015. In 2020, she joined the KPRC 2 digital team as an intern. Ana is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, a catmom of 3, and an aquarium enthusiast. In her spare time, she's an avid video gamer and loves to travel.