Worth the replay?

1. #1

   Maple LeafsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   74/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 99 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 74

2. #2

   HurricanesatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

3. #3

   KrakenatRangers

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

4. #4

   PanthersatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 58 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 43

5. #5

   StarsatKings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

6. #6

   CanucksatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 30 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 22

7. #7

   OilersatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension13/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

8. #8

   DevilsatWild

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

9. #9

   LightningatFlyers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   6/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

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.