Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DucksatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   StarsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   FlyersatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

4. #4

   MammothatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

5. #5

   Golden KnightsatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

6. #6

   CanadiensatBlackhawks

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50

7. #7

   BluesatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

8. #8

   Maple LeafsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

9. #9

   KingsatJets

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

10. #10

    CanucksatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    29/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

11. #11

    SabresatBruins

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

12. #12

    Blue JacketsatWild

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings20/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

13. #13

    DevilsatLightning

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

14. #14

    CapitalsatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

15. #15

    RangersatPenguins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

16. #16

    SenatorsatPanthers

    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.