Worth the replay?

1. #1

   BruinsatPenguins

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   A

   75/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

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

2. #2

   LightningatSabres

   NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   68/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback18/20

   Decided late11/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

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

3. #3

   WildatAvalanche

   NHL· TNT/HBO Max/truTVOvertimeDown to the wire

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback9/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 90 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

4. #4

   BlackhawksatStars

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings22/25

   Comeback3/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth7/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

5. #5

   OilersatGolden Knights

   NHL· ESPN

   D

   32/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension20/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late4/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

6. #6

   BluesatDucks

   NHL· ESPN+One-sided

   D

   12/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings11/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

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

7. #7

   Red WingsatDevils

   NHL· ESPNOne-sided

   D

   7/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension1/30

   Swings9/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth0/10

   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.