Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Golden KnightsatAvalanche

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

2. #2

   KingsatMammoth

   NHLDown to the wire

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

3. #3

   JetsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

4. #4

   PanthersatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   30/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 30

5. #5

   StarsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

6. #6

   CapitalsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

7. #7

   Red WingsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

8. #8

   CanadiensatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.