Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BruinsatLightning

   NHL· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   KingsatHurricanes

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   59/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

3. #3

   Golden KnightsatDucks

   NHL· ESPN

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 21

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.