NHL mourns death of Minnesota reporter, 3 children in house fire

Jessi Pierce, who covered the Minnesota Wild as a correspondent for NHL.com, and her three children were killed in a house fire, the league announced Sunday.

Pierce and her three children, Hudson, Caden and Avery, were found deceased in the wake of a fire at their home in White Bear Lake, Minn., on Saturday.

The 37-year-old reporter had covered the Wild for a decade.

"The entire National Hockey League family sends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Pierce family on the passing of Jessi Pierce and her three young children," the NHL said in a statement. "Jessi loved our game and was a valued member of the NHL.com team for a decade. We will miss her terribly."

"The entire NHL.com team is devastated and heartbroken by the loss of Jessi and her children," Bill Price, vice president and editor in chief of NHL.com, said in a statement. "Jessi's love of her family and hockey was evident in the energy and passion she brought to her work for us. She was an absolute joy to talk to and work with. She will be deeply missed."

Neighbors called 911 on Saturday and informed them they could see flames coming from Pierce's house. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"Jessi was a kind, compassionate person that cared deeply about her family and those around her," the Minnesota Wild said in a social media post memorializing Pierce. "She served as an ambassador for the game of hockey during her time covering the Wild and the NHL."

--Field Level Media