Worth the replay?

1. #1

   FlamesatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

2. #2

   SenatorsatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

3. #3

   PanthersatRed Wings

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max

   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

4. #4

   BlackhawksatBlues

   NHL· TNT/HBO MaxOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

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.