Blue Jackets Assign Matiss Kivlenieks and Adam Clendening to Cleveland
Jan 23, 2020The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Thursday that the Blue Jackets assigned goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks and defenseman Adam Clendening to the Monsters. Kivlenieks made 31 saves and claimed the first NHL win of his career in his first appearance for Columbus in a 2-1 road victory over the New York Rangers on Sunday and it was announced Tuesday that Clendening will represent Cleveland and the North Division at the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, CA from January 26-27.
A 6’2”, 180 lb. left-catching native of Riga, Latvia, Kivlenieks, 23, signed a three-year, two-way entry level contract with Columbus on May 25, 2017. In one appearance for the Blue Jackets this season, Kivlenieks posted a record 1-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average (GAA) and a .962 save percentage (S%) and went 7-7-2 with one shutout, a 3.04 GAA and a .896 S% in 16 appearances for Cleveland this year. In 73 career AHL appearances, all for the Monsters, spanning parts of three seasons from 2017-20, Kivlenieks posted a record of 25-32-7 with three shutouts, a 3.26 GAA and a .889 S%. 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.
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. That season, 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).
In 35 appearances for the Monsters this year, Clendening posted 6-23-29 with 38 penalty minutes and a +6 rating and leads Cleveland in points, assists, power-play assists (11) and power-play points (12). Clendening also currently ranks in the AHL’s top five among defensemen in points (T4th), assists (T5th) and power-play assists (T5th). A 6’0”, 196 lb., right-handed native of Niagara Falls, NY, Clendening, 27, was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (36th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and signed a two-year contract extension with Columbus on June 25, 2019. In 90 career NHL appearances for Columbus, Chicago, the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Arizona Coyotes spanning parts of five seasons from 2014-19, Clendening supplied 4-20-24 with 42 penalty minutes and a +11 rating.
In 332 career AHL appearances for the Rockford IceHogs, Utica Comets, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Tucson Roadrunners and the Monsters spanning parts of seven seasons from 2012-20, Clendening contributed 37-179-216 with 393 penalty minutes and a +55 rating. Clendening competed in the 2012-13 AHL All-Star Game and was named to the 2013-14 AHL First All-Star Team and the 2012-13 AHL Second All-Star Team.
Prior to his professional career, Clendening notched 9-50-59 with 144 penalty minutes and a +19 rating in 77 NCAA appearances for Boston University spanning two seasons from 2010-12 and added 4-13-17 with 44 penalty minutes and a +16 rating in 26 USHL appearances for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program during the 2009-10 season. Clendening additionally competed for Team USA at the 2012 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships.