The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Monday that the Blue Jackets recalled goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks from the Monsters. In 15 appearances for Cleveland this year, Kivlenieks posted a record of 7-6-2 with one shutout, a 3.04 goals-against average (GAA) and a .894 save percentage (S%).

A 6’2”, 180 lb. left-catching native of Riga, Latvia, Kivlenieks 22, supplied a record of 25-31-7 with three shutouts, a 3.26 GAA and a .888 S% in 72 career AHL appearances, all for Cleveland, spanning parts of three seasons from 2017-19. During the 2018-19 season, Kilvenieks logged a 5-3-0 record in a 2.71 GAA and a .923 S% in eight ECHL appearances for the Kalamazoo Wings. Kivlenieks signed a three-year (two-way) entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets on May 25, 2017.

Prior to his professional career, Kilvenieks went 36-7-2 with five shutouts, a 1.85 GAA and a .932 S% in 49 appearances for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers during the 2016-17 campaign. Kivlenieks claimed USHL Player and Goaltender of the Year honors, was named to the 2016-17 USHL First All-Star Team and helped Sioux City claim the 2017 Anderson Cup as USHL Regular-Season Champions while leading the league in wins (1st), shutouts (T1st), GAA (1st) and S% (1st).