Worth the replay?

1. #1

   DevilsatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   FlyersatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   37/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension25/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

3. #3

   RangersatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   34/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

4. #4

   PenguinsatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

5. #5

   JetsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   31/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 41 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 31

6. #6

   IslandersatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension7/30

   Swings13/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 31 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 23

7. #7

   SabresatHurricanes

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings5/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

8. #8

   CapitalsatAvalanche

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension16/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   SharksatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   16/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension6/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 16

10. #10

    WildatMaple Leafs

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

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.