Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Blue JacketsatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   JetsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

4. #4

   PenguinsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

5. #5

   FlamesatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

6. #6

   CanadiensatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

7. #7

   DucksatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

8. #8

   KingsatSharks

   NHL· ESPNDown to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   MammothatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

10. #10

    IslandersatBruins

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    28/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback11/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

11. #11

    RangersatCanucks

    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

    CapitalsatStars

    NHL· ESPN

    D

    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings3/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

13. #13

    Red WingsatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    16/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback6/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

14. #14

    DevilsatAvalanche

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

15. #15

    SenatorsatBlackhawks

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings19/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

16. #16

    LightningatPredators

    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

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.