Worth the replay?

1. #1

   PanthersatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   CapitalsatOilers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   KingsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

4. #4

   CanadiensatBruins

   NHL· NHL NetDown to the wireBack and forth

   C+

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late9/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 73 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 55

5. #5

   MammothatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   33/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

6. #6

   LightningatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   D

   26/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

7. #7

   Red WingsatJets

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   24/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

8. #8

   SabresatIslanders

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   HurricanesatSenators

   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.