Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CanadiensatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

2. #2

   CapitalsatRed Wings

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

3. #3

   JetsatMammoth

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

4. #4

   SabresatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

5. #5

   Golden KnightsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

6. #6

   RangersatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   Maple LeafsatStars

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   17/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

8. #8

   AvalancheatWild

   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

9. #9

   SenatorsatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 7 × 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.