Monsters pay tribute to Matiss Kivlenieks on his birthday by hosting Kivi Day
Aug 25, 2022The Cleveland Monsters are proud to announce the team will host Kivi Day in honor of Matiss Kivlenieks’ birthday as a way to pay tribute to the late goaltender while also giving back to the local community that he so valued during his career.
“Kivi Day is such a great opportunity for all of us to remember and celebrate the life of Matiss,” said Columbus Blue Jackets Goaltending Development Coach and former teammate Brad Thiessen. “It is important that he remains a part of this community, one that he impacted for so many years. To be able to share his story and have an impact on the next generation of goalies in Northeast Ohio is a great way to carry on his legacy.”
Saves for Kivi was created following the passing of Matiss in July of 2021 running through the 2021-22 season with money being raised for every save made by a Monsters goalie at home. After raising over $10,000 in his memory, the Monsters will begin giving back to the Northeast Ohio community with special programs and donations focused on the development of youth goalies. In conjunction with Kivi Day, the Monsters will be donating one full set of youth goalie equipment to each of the team’s Learn to Play partners.
On Friday, August 26, in celebration of Matiss’ birthday, members of the Monsters Front Office staff will partake in a day of service helping the team’s Learn to Play partners at Brooklyn Youth Hockey. Around 20 staff members will assist in painting parts of the John M. Coyne Recreation Center ahead of the 2022-23 youth hockey season.
On Saturday, August 27, Kivi Day will continue with a special goalie clinic made up of kids ages eight to 10 from the Monsters’ Learn to Play partners. Two sessions will be held at the team’s practice facility at OBM Arena with instruction led by Thiessen. All participants will receive a specialty Kivi’s Kids goalie jersey and learn more about Matiss’ life and time in Cleveland while playing for the Monsters. The Monsters will also be sponsoring scholarships for two randomly picked participants in the 2023 Conway Goaltending School’s Cleveland Summer Camp.
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