Worth the replay?

1. #1

   JetsatMaple Leafs

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   66/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 88 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

2. #2

   LightningatKings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

3. #3

   CapitalsatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   B

   62/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late14/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

4. #4

   Red WingsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   60/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

5. #5

   CanadiensatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+Big comeback

   C+

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

6. #6

   StarsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

7. #7

   MammothatIslanders

   NHL· NHL NetOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

8. #8

   PredatorsatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

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.