Worth the replay?

1. #1

   KingsatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   SabresatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

3. #3

   IslandersatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

4. #4

   Blue JacketsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

5. #5

   BluesatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+Big comeback

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 72 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 54

6. #6

   DucksatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

7. #7

   HurricanesatStars

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   CanadiensatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 61 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

9. #9

   MammothatWild

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

10. #10

    OilersatKraken

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

11. #11

    AvalancheatBruins

    NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

    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

12. #12

    Golden KnightsatPanthers

    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

    SenatorsatCapitals

    NHL· ESPN+/NHL NetOne-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.