Yauheni Aksiantsiuk Named ECHL Rookie of the Month

BOISE, Idaho – The ECHL has named Idaho Steelheads forward Yauheni Aksiantsiuk the Howie’s Hockey Tape ECHL Rookie of the Month for October, the league announced on Wednesday. This is the first ECHL Rookie of the Month honor since the 2014-15 season and the seventh in team history.Aksiantsiuk, 20, played all five games in October, posting four goals and five assists for nine points with a plus-six rating and one game-winning goal. The Brest, Belarus native leads the ECHL in scoring as well as all ECHL rookies while also leading rookies in plus-minus rating, goals and assists. He has earned four multi-point games so far in five games while also notching the overtime-winner in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Rapid City Rush in a five-point week.That game-winning goal seven seconds into the extra period set a new Steelheads ECHL record for fastest overtime goal in team history, surpassing the former record of 31 seconds set by forward Marty Flichel on Nov. 14, 2007 against the Las Vegas Wranglers. It was also tied for the third-fastest overtime goal in ECHL history.In 86 professional games between the ECHL and Belarus, the 5-foot-8 forward owns 32 points (13-19—32) in three professional seasons between the Steelheads, Yunost Minsk and Shahktyor Soligorsk beginning in the 2018-19 season. Aksiantsiuk boasted 78 points (33-45—78) in 58 games with the Flint Firebirds in 2019-20 and was selected 162nd overall (6th Round) by the Dallas Stars in the 2020 NHL Draft. He has also taken part in multiple IIHF World Championships with Team Belarus.Aksiantsiuk becomes the first ECHL Rookie of the Month honoree since Jason Bast earned two different honors in October 2014 and January 2015 and just the seventh Steelheads rookie to receive the recognition. Others included in Steelheads monthly rookie league honors are: Tyler Gron (February 2013); Austin Fyten (January 2013); Kael Mouillierat (November 2010); Evan Barlow (January 2010); and Matt Climie (December 2008).This is also the second-straight month with a monthly honor for the Steelheads, joining Tomas Sholl as ECHL Goaltender of the Month for February 2020, the last month of awards in the 2019-20 season.The Steelheads open a six-game road trip against the Tulsa Oilers on Thursday, Nov. 4 at 6:05 p.m. and return to Idaho Central Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 7:10 p.m. against the Adirondack Thunder. Single-game tickets are available for all home games during the 2021-22 regular season by going to idahosteelheads.com or calling 331-TIXS! Make sure to secure your FloSports subscription for the 2021-22 season to lock in all Steelheads games and more on ECHL TV.