Arguably one of the best players from the entire CCM 68 Combine, Jackson Liao came to play and was a dominant, dynamic, and highly skilled force, driving play like very few could as he cut his way up the ice with dazzling moves, often acting as a human highlight reel. He had the skill to beat any given defender 1-on-1, and with timely and well executed dekes-and-dangles, found himself turning routine rush chances into dangerous odd-man scoring chances for himself and others. His unselfish play to execute flashy moves and follow it up with setting up a teammate in a prime scoring position really helped Team USA Blue generate a good degree of offense. His ability to find a play and process the game at a high level was like none other; even in the face of pressure and or physical confrontation, he zigged-and-zagged out of tight spaces in tandem with great puck control in awkward positions. The edgework, puck skills, and offensive creativity made him nearly impossible to contain at times as he navigated the offensive zone. There may not have been a player who completed as many end-to-end rushes with the puck on their stick quite like Liao did – he could effortlessly cut up neutral zone coverage, weave around defenders with ease at high speed and make quick adjustments and changes in direction as he walked laterally across the ice. One of his best goals of the combine came off the rush; walking down the left wing, he made a quick move to the middle only to shuttle his way back out wide, pulling the defender too far inward in the process, he got his feet moving again and bolted wide on his man, cut into the slot and hooked the puck around the goaltender in tight – a tremendous display of crafty puck handling and speed. There was so much to like in Liao’s game, the unselfish play whilst also remaining an elite scoring threat himself at any given time, he did a tremendous job at displaying his own skills whilst also elevating his teammates.

Scoring the game winning goal, Jackson Liao was one of the game’s top performers through-and-through, and even in moments where the puck wasn’t falling his way he still found a way to make an impact elsewhere. His first good chance of the game came off him using his explosive first few steps to jump on a loose puck in the offensive zone and with some ice to himself he swooped around back the goal with elite agility before funneling a pass to the slot to a teammate. His lateral movement to hook around back the net with such velocity gave defenders little-to-no time to prepare for his centering attempt. He plays with great pace and energy with the puck on his stick, with shifty pivots and turns, defenders have a tough time staying square to him, forcing them to back off and or get burnt by overly aggressive defending as they struggle to match his edgework and agility. His work shielding the puck was key in his ability to delay and buy time for others to get into scoring areas along with pull opponents away from their assignments, taking bumps and shoves in stride and maintaining balance, he showed a good degree of physical resilience all while quickly handling the puck and keeping his speed and momentum up. The game winning goal came on a breakaway effort, darting up ice when he saw a turnover ensue at his defensive blueline, he found plenty of time alone as he caught a pass and made a wicked fake move his backhand before pulling the puck back to his forehand, slipping the puck around the sprawled-out goaltender. On the tying goal he showed off some of his off-puck tenacity, behind the offensive goal line he was pressuring and hammering away at the puck carrier, ultimately forcing the puck free as the puck found its way into the slot for a teammate to collect and bury. Arguably, Liao could’ve been credited with an assist on this one to add to his totals. Regardless, despite only walking away with 1 point, it was a great display of his skill, speed, and overall practicality to leave his mark as a highly skilled player even when it’s not a run-and-gun offensive shootout.

Liao put on a dominant performance in this one as the best player on the ice all game. He was dangerous every shift, constantly moving and maintaining possession in the o-zone. Liao is a strong skater, difficult to knock off the puck, has great edges and uses them to evade defenders while keeping the puck on a string. He scored twice, including a backhand beauty to open the scoring, while adding two assists. Liao excels at protecting the puck and extending plays low in the o-zone, buying time for his teammates to get open while being able to create a scoring chance for himself. His vision and passing make him a well-rounded playmaker and dynamic threat whenever he has the puck.