Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Blue JacketsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

2. #2

   DucksatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

3. #3

   PenguinsatFlyers

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

4. #4

   MammothatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

5. #5

   JetsatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

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.