Worth the replay?

1. #1

   IslandersatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   HurricanesatKings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

3. #3

   KrakenatMaple Leafs

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

4. #4

   WildatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

5. #5

   RangersatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

6. #6

   LightningatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

7. #7

   BruinsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

8. #8

   OilersatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

9. #9

   StarsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

10. #10

    PenguinsatSharks

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

11. #11

    FlamesatGolden Knights

    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

12. #12

    PredatorsatJets

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

13. #13

    PanthersatSabres

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

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.