Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HurricanesatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   SharksatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

4. #4

   BruinsatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

5. #5

   StarsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

6. #6

   SabresatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

7. #7

   SenatorsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   DucksatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

9. #9

   CanadiensatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

10. #10

    Red WingsatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

11. #11

    PanthersatAvalanche

    NHL· ESPNOne-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings6/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

12. #12

    LightningatDevils

    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

13. #13

    BluesatPredators

    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.