Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CapitalsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

2. #2

   SharksatStars

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

3. #3

   MammothatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

4. #4

   Golden KnightsatDevils

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

5. #5

   SabresatJets

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

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.