Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HurricanesatWild

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown 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 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

2. #2

   BruinsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   49/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49

3. #3

   OilersatCapitals

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

4. #4

   FlamesatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

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.