Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DucksatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

2. #2

   IslandersatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

3. #3

   BlackhawksatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late12/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

4. #4

   AvalancheatKraken

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVBack and forth

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 49 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 37

5. #5

   FlamesatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

6. #6

   FlyersatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

7. #7

   MammothatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   CanucksatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   CapitalsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ 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) = 7

10. #10

    OilersatPenguins

    NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOne-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.