Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HurricanesatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

2. #2

   AvalancheatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   KingsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

4. #4

   KrakenatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   FlamesatWild

   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

6. #6

   MammothatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   BlackhawksatRed Wings

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   JetsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings8/25

   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.