Worth the replay?

1. #1

   WildatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

2. #2

   DevilsatOilers

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTV

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 36

3. #3

   SabresatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   35/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

4. #4

   BluesatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   23/100
   ▸ 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) = 23

5. #5

   SharksatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension3/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

6. #6

   RangersatKings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

7. #7

   SenatorsatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

8. #8

   BruinsatStars

   NHL· TNT/HBO MaxOne-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.