Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MammothatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   Red WingsatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   38/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 51 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

3. #3

   DucksatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

4. #4

   KrakenatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

5. #5

   WildatKings

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

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.