Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BlackhawksatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   Golden KnightsatCanadiens

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

3. #3

   PredatorsatBruins

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   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

   StarsatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

5. #5

   MammothatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 64 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

6. #6

   SabresatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+Back and forth

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 29

7. #7

   JetsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

8. #8

   KingsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   14/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension8/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   SharksatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   13/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

10. #10

    CapitalsatKraken

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

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.