Worth the replay?

1. #1

   StarsatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   KingsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ 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) = 71

3. #3

   IslandersatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

4. #4

   KrakenatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

5. #5

   BlackhawksatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback6/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

6. #6

   FlamesatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   BluesatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension15/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   PanthersatSenators

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   RangersatBruins

   NHL· ABCOne-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

10. #10

    Red WingsatCanadiens

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

11. #11

    LightningatFlyers

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 10 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

12. #12

    DucksatSabres

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension2/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

13. #13

    CanucksatMaple Leafs

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

14. #14

    Blue JacketsatAvalanche

    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.