Worth the replay?

1. #1

   OilersatStars

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   BruinsatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

3. #3

   FlyersatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

4. #4

   PredatorsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

5. #5

   MammothatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

6. #6

   PanthersatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

7. #7

   LightningatAvalanche

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

8. #8

   JetsatKings

   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

9. #9

   Red WingsatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

10. #10

    HurricanesatRangers

    NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOne-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

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.