Worth the replay?

1. #1

   IslandersatBlue Jackets

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   73/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback14/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 97 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 73

2. #2

   PenguinsatRangers

   NHL· ABCOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback13/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

3. #3

   PredatorsatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   64/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

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

4. #4

   OilersatSharks

   NHL· ESPN+

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension23/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Drama 56 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

5. #5

   BruinsatFlyers

   NHL· ABC

   D

   25/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

6. #6

   FlamesatKings

   NHL· NHL Net

   D

   20/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension19/30

   Swings8/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late1/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 27 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

7. #7

   BlackhawksatAvalanche

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   19/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension14/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

8. #8

   SabresatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   15/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

9. #9

   SenatorsatMaple Leafs

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

10. #10

    CapitalsatCanadiens

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension3/30

    Swings7/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

11. #11

    DevilsatBlues

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    10/100
    ▸ 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) = 10

12. #12

    Red WingsatHurricanes

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    9/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 9

13. #13

    CanucksatKraken

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

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.