Worth the replay?

1. #1

   MammothatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   B+

   72/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback16/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 96 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 72

2. #2

   SharksatOilers

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

3. #3

   PanthersatBlues

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

4. #4

   CapitalsatRed Wings

   NHL· ESPN+/HuluOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   65/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

5. #5

   StarsatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

6. #6

   PredatorsatDevils

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

7. #7

   DucksatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension22/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late6/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

8. #8

   IslandersatRangers

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings6/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late2/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

9. #9

   FlamesatWild

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   18/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension17/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

10. #10

    Maple LeafsatKraken

    NHL· ESPN+/HuluOne-sided

    D

    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension5/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback1/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 18 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

11. #11

    BlackhawksatPenguins

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings13/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

12. #12

    AvalancheatCanadiens

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

13. #13

    KingsatSabres

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

14. #14

    JetsatLightning

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension4/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

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

15. #15

    FlyersatBruins

    NHL· ESPN+One-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.