Worth the replay?

1. #1

   FlyersatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   69/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 92 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 69

2. #2

   Blue JacketsatRangers

   NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   61/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

3. #3

   AvalancheatKings

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire

   C

   44/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late10/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

4. #4

   Red WingsatPredators

   NHL· NHL Net

   C

   42/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback7/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

5. #5

   HurricanesatKraken

   NHL· ESPN+

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension24/30

   Swings7/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late7/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

6. #6

   StarsatCanucks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings12/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

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.