Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DevilsatGolden Knights

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

2. #2

   KingsatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 38 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

3. #3

   MammothatRed Wings

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

4. #4

   JetsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   27/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

5. #5

   HurricanesatPredators

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

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.