Worth the replay?

Friday, March 6's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →

#1
CanadiensatDucks
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth
A
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Overtime+8
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 75
#2
AvalancheatStars
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B+
70/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings22/25
Comeback12/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70
#3
BluesatSharks
NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire
B
60/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Overtime+8
Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60
#4
CanucksatBlackhawks
NHL· ESPN+
C+
49/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings22/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 66 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 49
#5
PanthersatRed Wings
NHL· NHL Net
D
34/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension22/30
Swings10/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late6/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34
#6
HurricanesatOilers
NHL· ESPN+
D
32/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension19/30
Swings14/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 42 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32
#7
WildatGolden Knights
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 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

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.