Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BlackhawksatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   AvalancheatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   CapitalsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

4. #4

   WildatJets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

5. #5

   SenatorsatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

6. #6

   OilersatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

7. #7

   LightningatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

8. #8

   SharksatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

9. #9

   Red WingsatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension18/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

10. #10

    RangersatIslanders

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension21/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

11. #11

    PredatorsatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    22/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension19/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 29 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

12. #12

    BruinsatSabres

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings14/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

13. #13

    DucksatKings

    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.