Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MammothatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75

2. #2

   FlyersatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

3. #3

   CanucksatDevils

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

4. #4

   SabresatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ 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) = 23

5. #5

   OilersatCanadiens

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

6. #6

   BruinsatWild

   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.