Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PenguinsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   CanadiensatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

4. #4

   AvalancheatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

5. #5

   HurricanesatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

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.