The Columbus Blue Jackets opened their 2021-22 season on Thursday night and every Blue Jackets fan, player and staff member knew it was going to be an emotional night before it even started.
Prior to the season, the Blue Jackets had announced that they planned on honouring Matiss Kivlenieks in more ways than one both on opening night and throughout the season. Earlier in the day on Thursday, the team revealed that they had added Kivlenieks’ number 80 on the ice behind the net, and that was just the beginning.
For the team’s pre-game warm-ups, Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins honoured his friend by wearing his number 80 jersey for the pre-game skate.
While he only rocked the Kivlenieks jersey for the warm-ups, he ended up switching his number to Kivlenieks’ 80 for the night, as another way to show some love for his late friend.
The team held an emotional pre-game ceremony for Kivlenieks, which included the raising of his jersey number to the rafters.
Columbus got off to an extremely quick start in this one following the ceremony and opened the scoring in just 40 seconds.
