Worth the replay?

1. #1

   RangersatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   FlamesatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

3. #3

   Red WingsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

4. #4

   CanucksatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

5. #5

   SabresatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

6. #6

   StarsatLightning

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

7. #7

   PenguinsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

8. #8

   BlackhawksatJets

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   PredatorsatFlyers

   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

10. #10

    IslandersatHurricanes

    NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-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

11. #11

    DevilsatSharks

    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

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.