BOISE, Idaho – Forward Yauheni Aksiantsiuk has been recalled by the Dallas Stars to the Texas Stars for his first recall of the season, Idaho Steelheads Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced on Monday.Aksiantsiuk, 20, is in his first professional season in North America, posting eight goals and seven assists for 15 points with one power play goal through 13 games. The Brest, Belarus native recorded his first hat-trick in North America on Friday against the Allen Americans, and both of his game-winning goals have come in overtime with one setting a new team record for fastest overtime goal at seven seconds. He sits second among ECHL rookies in goals scored and third in ECHL rookie scoring while leading the Steelheads in goals and scoring. He was named Howie’s Hockey Tape ECHL Rookie of the Month for October with a nine-point campaign and leading all rookie scorers.The 5-foot-8 forward played two non-concurrent seasons in the Belarusian Extraleague before coming to North America professionally, playing 31 games with Yunost Minsk in 2020-21 and posting six points (3-3—6) with 17 penalty minutes as well as another 49 games with Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the 2018-19 season and tallying 18 points (6-12—18). Aksiantsiuk appeared in one season in the U.S. with the Flint Firebirds (OHL) to close his junior career, boasting 78 points (33-45—78) in 58 games before being selected 162nd overall (6th Round) by the Dallas Stars in the 2020 NHL Draft. He also earned a silver medal with Belarus at the 2019 IIHF U20 World Championships for Division 1A as an underager and made his professional debut with Shakhtyor as a 17-year-old.
This is the third recall of a Dallas prospect this season following the call-ups for defenseman Dawson Barteaux and Adam Scheel earlier this month.The Steelheads open a two-game road weekend against the Kansas City Mavericks on Friday, Dec. 3 at 6:05 p.m. and return to Idaho Central Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 7:10 p.m. against the South Carolina Stingrays. 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 action from around the ECHL.