Worth the replay?

1. #1

   OilersatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   71/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

2. #2

   CanadiensatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback12/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   LightningatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

4. #4

   FlamesatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 70 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

5. #5

   StarsatDucks

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   28/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late5/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

6. #6

   IslandersatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   22/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

7. #7

   CanucksatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings4/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   HurricanesatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 15 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

9. #9

   Red WingsatBruins

   NHL· TNT/HBO MaxOne-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

10. #10

    Maple LeafsatMammoth

    NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-sided

    D

    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings7/25

    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.