Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Maple LeafsatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   IslandersatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+/Hulu/Disney+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   58/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

3. #3

   WildatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 56

4. #4

   OilersatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   46/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 62 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 46

5. #5

   Blue JacketsatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 35

6. #6

   SabresatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

7. #7

   DucksatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

8. #8

   DevilsatPenguins

   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

9. #9

   PanthersatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

10. #10

    CanucksatRed Wings

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 12 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

11. #11

    FlamesatBruins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

12. #12

    SenatorsatAvalanche

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

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.