Worth the replay?

1. #1

   CanadiensatWild

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   70/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   JetsatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

3. #3

   BluesatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+Big comeback

   C+

   52/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late3/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 69 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 52

4. #4

   SenatorsatPenguins

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C+

   51/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings17/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 51

5. #5

   SabresatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+

   C+

   48/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension21/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 48

6. #6

   Red WingsatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   36/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late8/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   Maple LeafsatFlames

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   29/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

8. #8

   IslandersatCapitals

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   21/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension4/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

9. #9

   SharksatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   11/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension5/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

10. #10

    CanucksatMammoth

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

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

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.