NOVI, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A fireworks mortar explosion is being blamed for the death of a goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team.
Police tell the Washington Post Matiss Kivlenieks, who previously played for the Kalamazoo Wings, was one of several people in a hot tub Sunday night in Novi, just outside of Detroit. Lieutenant Jason Meier with Novi Police tells the paper it’s unknown exactly if the mortar hit Kivlenieks.
The team had previously announced the Latvia native died of an apparent head injury suffered during a fall. However, chest trauma was ruled as the cause of death by the Oakland County, Michigan, medical examiner.
Kivlenieks was 24-years-old. He had been attending a gathering at Manny Legace’s home. Legace is the goalie coach for the Blue Jackets and was a netminder for the Detroit Red Wings.
