Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks has died at age 24, the team announced Monday.

Kivlenieks suffered an apparent head injury during a fall. Medical personnel were called immediately, but he died a short time later.

“We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Matiss Kivlenieks, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his mother, Astrida, his family, and friends during this devastating time," Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said. "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."

Kivlenieks appeared in two games with the Blue Jackets in 2020-21 and six contests the season prior. He spent most of the past two campaigns with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters.

The native of Riga, Latvia, also represented his country on the international stage. He posted a .922 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average in four games at the 2021 World Championship in his hometown, including a 38-save shutout over the heavily favored Canadian squad.

Columbus originally signed Kivlenieks as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

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