Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StarsatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

2. #2

   SharksatWild

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   Blue JacketsatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

4. #4

   FlamesatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

5. #5

   JetsatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

6. #6

   KingsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

7. #7

   Maple LeafsatBruins

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOne-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

8. #8

   DucksatAvalanche

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOne-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

9. #9

   CapitalsatHurricanes

   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

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.