Worth the replay?

1. #1

   HurricanesatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   DevilsatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 47 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

3. #3

   JetsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 21 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

4. #4

   CanucksatIslanders

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension2/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

5. #5

   StarsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   9/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

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.