Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BlackhawksatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

2. #2

   StarsatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

3. #3

   CapitalsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

4. #4

   Maple LeafsatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+/Hulu

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

5. #5

   WildatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings3/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

6. #6

   SenatorsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   LightningatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension11/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   BruinsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

9. #9

   CanucksatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

10. #10

    FlamesatPredators

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × 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.