Worth the replay?

1. #1

   WildatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 98 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

2. #2

   Maple LeafsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   FlyersatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

4. #4

   PredatorsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

5. #5

   SenatorsatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

6. #6

   BluesatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

7. #7

   CanucksatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

8. #8

   CanadiensatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   50/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 67 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 50

9. #9

   StarsatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

10. #10

    RangersatHurricanes

    NHL· ESPN+

    C

    43/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension24/30

    Swings17/25

    Comeback5/20

    Decided late8/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

11. #11

    SabresatPenguins

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    32/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings15/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

12. #12

    JetsatCapitals

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension14/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

13. #13

    BruinsatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings11/25

    Comeback6/20

    Decided late3/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

14. #14

    FlamesatLightning

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

15. #15

    SharksatAvalanche

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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.